Malcolm Turnbull should heed a warning from anxious voters and unlock almost $800 million in automotive assistance funding for new industries, South Australia's premier says.
Jay Weatherill has held talks with independent senator Nick Xenophon about a fresh push to free up money within the Automotive Transformation Scheme for high-tech companies in SA and Victoria.
"We're in a post-election environment where obviously the federal coalition got a massive hammering here in South Australia and not the least because of concerns about future jobs," Mr Weatherill said on Monday.
"We want them to listen to the people of South Australia who sent them a very clear message."
Mr Weatherill said he was confident the federal Labor Party, as well as crossbench senators from SA and Victoria, would support legislation changing the criteria for the $1 billion scheme, which is due to expire when Holden closes its assembly operations by the end of 2017.
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But the coalition is likely to gain a majority in the lower house and has previously rejected calls for non-automotive companies to be made eligible for funding.
SA needs urgent assistance as it prepares to absorb between 7000 and 15,000 job losses with the end of car manufacturing, Mr Weatherill said.
