Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has pleaded with Australians to rescue our motor vehicle industry following an announcement by Toyota that it will cease making cars in Australia in 2017; ultimately signing the death warrant of Australian manufacturing.

“It is vitally important that every Australian refuses to accept the abolition of the car industry in Australia.

“Which let’s face it, it not just a car industry it is manufacturing in Australia.

“Our country cannot produce a tyre or an electric motor and on the advice this week, that they are going after the ethanol industry in Australia,” said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter said that with the loss of our motor vehicle manufacturing industry, our manufacturing components industry will also be decimated.

“Without the revenue base coming from the domestic sales of components of companies like Ford, Holden and Toyota, our components industry will find it impossible to survive.

“This indeed is one of the great and most tragic of watersheds in Australian economic history.

“Tens of thousands of jobs have already gone and clearly many more are to go,” Mr Katter said.

“Our nation’s flag will not fly over a country that cannot produce a litre of petrol, a tonne of steel or a tyre.

“We are a nation proud and we will not roll over to the economic pygmies with their free market poisoned darts.

“It is not exactly rocket science as in most countries, it is mandated that all government vehicles are made in their home country,” said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter will be re-introducing to the Parliament of Australia a motion, calling on the Federal Government to mandate that all motor vehicles purchased by local, State and Federal Government be Australian-made.