Mr COX (2:57 PM) —My question is to the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs and Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service. Has the minister seen reports that the Minister for Industry, Science and Resources had expressed surprise that two imported sports cars had been included on a list of cars available to be leased by senior public servants as part of their remuneration package? Has the minister amended Advice No. 2000/3, APS Vehicles Policy: Revised Executive Vehicle Scheme to remove the imported sports cars from the list of eligible vehicles or will the minister continue to put the privileges of public servants ahead of the jobs of Australian car workers?

Dr KEMP (Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) —I thank the honourable member for his question. There has been a longstanding arrangement whereby Australian made vehicles should be leased by the Australian Public Service where these vehicles are available. As there is not a full range of vehicles made locally—

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —The minister has the call and he will be heard in silence.

Dr KEMP —Imported vehicles which have an engine capacity below that of the smallest Australian made vehicle are available under the Executive Vehicle Scheme guidelines. These guidelines were revised in April to reflect changes in the range of Australian made vehicles and to provide further preference towards the domestic motor vehicle industry. The revised guidelines provide that only those imported vehicles produced by manufacturers eligible for registration as a motor vehicle or automotive component producer under the Automotive Competitiveness and Investment Scheme Administration Act 1999—that is, Holden, Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan—are available under the EVS. This is subject to the imported vehicle having an engine capacity of 2,000 cubic centimetres or less, which is about 10 per cent less than that of any Australian made passenger motor vehicle.

Prior to these recent changes, Mr Speaker, any imported vehicle with an engine capacity of 1,500 cubic centimetres or less was available under the EVS. So the guidelines have been changed in a way which is particularly positive for Australian manufacturers. Under the guidelines, agency heads are responsible for developing and administering vehicle policy in their agency, subject to the requirement of the guidelines. While the list of eligible vehicles includes a range of different cars, I would expect agency heads to be sensitive to the perceptions of the public when approving certain cars, particularly sports cars, as well as to the practicality of such vehicles for work related purposes.