It's time we got rid of these silly tariffs. Rudd needs to grow some balls and follow through with their scheduled removal. Same with the MRET - it's a bad idea.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24146229-601,00.html

A KEY government economic adviser has launched a scathing attack on Labor's industry policy, railing against a "new protectionist" push for extra assistance and slower tariff cuts for car, textile and other manufacturing industries.

Productivity Commission chief Gary Banks has rejected arguments by Kevin Rudd and his Industry Minister, Kim Carr, that Australia must act to protect its manufacturing base.

And as the Government prepares to release special reviews into car and textile industry assistance, Mr Banks has insisted the economy would be better off by billions of dollars a year if the Government proceeds with scheduled plans to wind back tariffs and government payments.

In a speech that has deeply angered the Government, the Productivity Commission chairman also criticised Labor's recent decision to give Toyota a $35 million grant from its $500 million green car fund, which he said would neither help innovation nor cut greenhouse gas emissions.

He also attacked the Government's commitment to a "mandatory renewable energy target" - to encourage power sources such as solar and wind - and its promise to compensate electricity generators for the loss of asset value under its new emissions trading regime.

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Bracks gives green light to tariff cuts on cars

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24184807-601,00.html

CONTROVERSIAL car tariff cuts scheduled for 2010 should proceed but a generous new $2.5 billion grants scheme should be set up to help the automotive industry until 2020.

These are among the key recommendations of the long-awaited Bracks report, upon which the Rudd Government has said it will base its new "car plan" to ensure a future for the Australian automotive industry.

In the report, released in Melbourne this morning, former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has ignored pleas from the car industry and the Victorian and South Australian car-making states to abandon or delay a cut in the tariffs imposed on imported cars and car parts from 10 to 5 per cent.