Five prominent industry figures have been picked to drive a national manufacturing revival, exactly three years after car maker Holden left Australia.
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Dulux boss Patrick Houlihan and Woodside Energy executive Lauren Stafford have been given three years on the science and industry board.
Financial technology guru Scott Farrell, space entrepreneur Alex Grant and agricultural innovator Sarah Nolet have been tapped for two years apiece.
Labor has lamented the fact the appointments came on the three year anniversary of Holden leaving the country.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the date marked the death knell of the Australian car industry.
"What a grim anniversary," he told parliament on Tuesday.
"Not just for every worker who lost their job. Not just for a proud part of our history coming to an end. But for a vital part of our future that was thrown away by this government."
Mr Albanese said allowing the car industry to collapse had dealt Australia out of a new wave of technology that could have been manufactured locally.
"What a devastating, self-inflicted wound," he said.
"Australians will never forget that it was a Liberal treasurer who stood in this place and goaded them into leaving."
Holden won the Bathurst 1000 at the weekend, in what was the final Supercars race for its factory team.
Winning co-driver Garth Tander said it was a sad end to a fantastic brand.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Holden's demise was sad for Australia but it was wrong to blame the government.
"It was due to the competitive pressures of the global automotive market," he told parliament.
The industry advisory body has been established to help navigate a manufacturing-led recovery from the coronavirus recession.
But Mr Albanese said the coalition was simply reheating Labor's 2012 manufacturing strategy.
He said the coalition was taking one step forward and 10 steps back.
"When this prime minister offered a $1.5 billion plan to revive manufacturing, it was like someone accidentally demolishing the wrong house, then offering to buy a new doorbell as compensation," he said.
"But going by this prime minister's record, you'll never even get the doorbell, just the announcement."
Australian Associated Press
