It is not up to governments to decide what car manufacturers we have in Australia, it is up to us to tell them what we want to keep. We have a choice in this country to decide what industries survive and what go. Is it not better for our government to support an industry and keep people in a job producing something of value rather than throwing them a whole heap of money to relocate into other jobs, where these jobs will ultimately go as well.

What jobs will those people, through no fault of their own or by choice, are suited to manufacturing type work do in the future? Not everyone can be an I.T. Whiz, engineer or whatever.
My family proudly drive three Australian made cars with a HQ in the shed. How many real Aussies can say this? I just came back from Japan, cant say I saw too many imported cars being driven there, no they are proud of their home made products. I am sure the French, Italian's and Germans think in a similar manner. Australia has 62 manufacturers selling cars here, the US has only 46 or so.
Just consider the size of the car restoration industry as a start and the parts components still being made for early Holden's, Fords and Valiant's. Until it was bought to my attention I did not realise how huge this part of the automotive industry is.

16 000 jobs in SA are attributed to car manufacturing alone, with many thousands more indirectly related. The amount of innovation, research and development in this industry is immense and not only of benefit to the auto industry. We buy 1 million cars a year in Australia, surely we can make 300 000 of those Australian made purchases. This would mean 3 manufacturers selling 100 000 cars each, a very viable proposition.
Should we say to those countries who wont trade with us on equal terms - no thanks we don't want your product or we tax the hell out of it. It seems to me our governments for too long are only too happy to make it easy for countries to sell here.