PM's no-show at car talks a disgrace: Carr The opposition has criticised PM Tony Abbott for not meeting a delegation of car workers. THE opposition has criticised Tony Abbott for not meeting a delegation of car workers, labelling his absence a disgrace. A group of car workers from South Australia and Victoria met Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane in Canberra on Monday. Opposition industry spokesman Kim Carr says the prime minister should also have been there, calling his refusal to attend a "disgrace." Senator Carr said these workers would suffer the most as a result of the Abbott's government's $500 million cut in support for Australia's car industry. "Mr Abbott owes these hard-working Australians some answers," Senator Carr said in a statement. He was more than happy to pose in a fluoro and hard hat during the election campaign, but now he can't even find five minutes to listen to the concerns of workers facing an uncertain future thanks to his policies. The senator said it would have been an opportunity for Mr Abbott to explain to the workers why he disagreed with his industry minister on supporting automotive manufacturing in this country. "The future of this industry is a question that concerns whole communities," he said. I look forward to the prime minister visiting these regions and explaining to everyone - to workers, to local families, to their children - why he failed to act to secure their future. He said this government was threatening the future of an industry that supported more than 200,000 jobs and hundreds of businesses. Mr Abbott was also asked during question time to respond to the workers' concerns. He said the coalition was seeking to save the car industry from the carbon tax. "Apart from that, we will implement the policies that we took to the election and the policies that we took to the election are designed to ensure that amongst other things the car industry has the best-possible chance of surviving into the future," he told parliament on Monday.