When Victorian locals rallied in support of fruit processor SPC Ardmona in May last year the following words were read to the crowd:
"This (Labor government) ... is completely disregarding you at a time when they should be standing side by side with you and doing whatever they can to support you.
"Australian manufacturing remains in crisis under a government which has seen around 110,000 Australians lose their jobs in the manufacturing sector since 2008.
"This government has a responsibility to stand up and fight for our domestic industries ..."
The words were written by then opposition leader Tony Abbott and given to Liberal MP for Murray Sharman Stone to be read to the rally.
Eight months later, Abbott is prime minister and his stance on manufacturing is more than just politicking - it is government policy.
Dr Stone was one of many - including workers, fruit farmers, transport operators, unions, Labor, the Greens and the Victorian Liberal-National government - to express their disappointment this week about federal cabinet rejecting a bid by SPC Ardmona for a $25 million public investment in new products and plant.
The 93-year-old firm's parent company Coca Cola Amatil says its investment plans are now under review, potentially putting 3000 direct and indirect jobs at risk.
But Abbott's decision went further than just applying to one company.
The prime minister himself said it "set an important marker".
"This is a government which will make sure that the restructuring that some Australian businesses need, that some Australian sectors need, is led by business as it should be."
The cabinet decision has set the course for the Abbott government's industry policy.
Instead of businesses - be they Holden, Toyota, Qantas or SPCA - going cap in hand to government they must get rid of out-dated and burdensome worker conditions in their enterprise bargaining agreements, trim their budgets, put viable long-term export plans in place and improve their management.
What's more, both Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey have made it clear that this is exactly the same attitude the Abbott government is bringing to the federal budget in cleaning up the "Labor mess" of debt and deficit.
There are a number of dangers in this for the government.
The first is that job security is going to be the key issue in at least three state elections due this year and Liberal leaders are worried about a backlash from federal decisions.
Victorian Liberal premier Denis Napthine visited Shepparton on Friday, a day after the decision, to voice his "disappointment" with Abbott and to flag the possibility of his government stepping in to support the company.
"I would prefer to have some ongoing federal assistance," the premier told reporters, adding the federal cabinet decision "changed the game".
It compounds the problem Napthine faces of Holden's bid for help being rejected just weeks ago by Abbott.
A second problem is that as manufacturers close and jobs disappear, the federal government will this year start a massive withdrawal of public spending from the economy in order to balance the budget.
Labor argues this will have further consequences for job security.
Then there is the political problem - which acting Labor leader Tanya Plibersek seized on this week - of the coalition saying one thing before the election and another after.
This was a key failing of the previous Labor government, especially in relation to the carbon tax.
And it will be a common refrain when federal parliament resumes in a fortnight.
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