Australia’s federal industry minister, Ian Macfarlane, visiting the US as part of a delegation trying to lift car parts exports to that country, has been told that Australia needed to improve its industrial relations situation, according to the website news.com.au.

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A spokeswoman for Macfarlane told the website the minister met representatives from General Motors and Ford and learned that GM chief Rick Wagoner was critical of industrial strife that forced the company to fly 50 tonnes of steel to Australia last year.


Macfarlane arrives back in Australia on Thursday (26 January) and was hopeful his delegation had opened the door to top-level managers that parts manufacturers did not typically get, the spokeswoman reportedly said.

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