@spinex - the benefits of local auto manufacturing are more then just financial.
The auto industry supporting 200,000 good permanent full-time jobs that are lost forever. Casual "service" jobs like being a "Barista" are quantified the same way as full-time career jobs, but don't have the same quality. It will cost more in social security for the people who lost their jobs when the auto industry was killed than what it cost to support the industry.
I'd also mention the engineering and technology benefits to the country. Something that can't be replaced.
The PM could have decreed that half of all government vehicle purchases must be for Australian built cars and that would have saved the industry simply and quickly.
Unfortunately Abbott and Hockey liked their European luxury cars and looked down their noses at locally built cars. I love my new Calais.