so Paul, Holden, Ford and Toyota are leaving because the government pulled their funding. So how do you explain this because without the funding, believed to be to the tune of $50,000 PER WORKER they say our operating conditions make their businesses non profitable.

Butch, the wrong product in the wrong market. The world car market is over supplied, with too many manufactures competing for the same dollar. Australia with a small domestic market, of which local manufacturing had an ever diminishing share, along with a declining export market, just could not compete, and the industry as it was, become unsustainable.
FTA's with zero tariffs proved the final nail in the coffin for the Australian car industry.

what you're suggesting Paul is that had the government not pulled the funding, they would have remained.

As for the crack down on taxes, I guess we will have to see who's right, if and when any government is game enough to pull out the big stick.

My tip is, BIG MISTAKE, because revenue also included all the taxes one generates, but let's wait and see.

I remember the critics saying mining was such a small employer, but they chose to ignore the masses employed by others who were supporting mining. Just have a look at the mining towns around QLD if they think mining was such a small employer. Businesses gone broke, or heading south everywhere.

I think the Liberals are pulling the John Howard trick
With the Gst.
They are saying it's off the table because the elections too close.

Straight after the election they'll put it back on the table and
The Labour Party will pass it. Because the Labour Party would
Rather the lower classes pay tax than have too much come
Out of any of their generous incomes. (Personal tax)

Keating said it is basically a flat tax, which means it
Is hugely tax friendly to the upper end of town. That's why
They will make sure they eventually get it passed.
The ruling classes always get richer, never poorer.

I think a GST will actually hurt economic growth