Auto funding myths exposed - AMWU

The view of the Abbott gov appears to be that the auto industry in Australia is bloated and inefficient, and that gov money shouldn't be used to support an industry that's not viable. Unfortunately they don't have the slightest grasp of the facts in thinking this. In fact Australia's auto industry is one of the most unprotected and least gov funded in the world:

The AMWU report states that total government support per head of population for the Australian car industry is $US18, compared to $28 for the UK, $90 in Germany, $96 in Canada, $147 in France and $264 in the USA. 

Total government assistance for auto has fallen by 16 per cent since 2006-07, yet increased for mining by 152 per cent, for banks and finance by 86 per cent. Automotive puts back $31 into the economy for every dollar invested. 

“There is not a single mass-produced vehicle on the planet which doesn’t benefit from a fair degree of government support but somehow sections of the Australian public have been conned into believing we should be the unique exception,” Dave Smith said. 

At just 5 per cent, the Australia tariff rate is lower than the potential markets of India (100 per cent) Thailand (80 per cent), Malaysia (35 per cent), Indonesia (50 per cent), Mexico (34 per cent), South Korea (8 per cent) and Canada (6 per cent). more

If Abbott destroys the auto industry here simply from lack of gov funding, there will be no other reason for it than his ideological capitalist extremism.