ED HUSIC MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION
MEMBER FOR CHIFLEY
 
MATT KEOGH MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY
SHADOW MINISTER ASSISTING FOR SMALL BUSINESS
MEMBER FOR BURT
 
SENATOR DEBORAH O'NEILL
LABOR SENATOR FOR NSW 

MORRISON FORCED TO JUMPSTART RELATIONSHIP WITH AUSTRALIAN AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS

 
Scott Morrison is today cleaning up after the Minister for Industry, Karen Andrews, was removed from negotiating a much-needed Australian automotive dealers dealership code. 

In December last year, Minister Andrews delivered a voluntary set of principles which failed to include any significant increase in fines for companies such as General Motors, Mercedes-Benz and Honda, which the Government knew was destroying decade-long family-owned businesses across Australia. 

Car dealers across Australia described it as ‘a do-nothing policy’ and ‘doomed to fail’.

At the time, Minister Andrews hailed the voluntary-based principles in a media release as the “biggest for the industry”, however they did not include any fines for car manufacturers.

Worse still, the Minister lashed out against car dealers who dared to speak out against her half-baked policy. 

After numerous reports of disruption within the Coalition Party Room, and an in-depth Labor-led Senate inquiry into the relationship between car dealers and car manufacturers, it was revealed in February that Minster Andrews had been sidelined from her responsibilities over the car industry. 

After Minister Andrews’ removal, the Government was left scrambling when Labor Senator Deborah O’Neill’s Private Senator’s Bill passed the Upper House. The Bill seeks to fine corporations such as General Motors $10 million or 10 per cent of annual turnover, whichever is highest.

Family-owned Australian businesses deserve a government that is on their side, not a Minister that has lost the faith of their own government to get the job done. 

Labor welcomes the Morrison Government’s commitment to finally supporting Australian car dealers, but is disappointed it has taken so long to get to this point.   

Only Labor is on the side of Australian business.

FRIDAY, 12 MARCH 2021