The smiling bipartisanship between politicians on the grand tour of Holden four weeks ago has vanished.

Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane today accused Premier Jay Weatherill of politicking, adding he was “bloody angry” with the Premier.

Weatherill, meanwhile, today launched a $350,000 “awareness” campaign called More Than Cars.

The bust-up comes 30 days after Macfarlane and Weatherill joined with Independent Senator Nick Xenophon, Opposition Leader Steven Marshall and other interested parties on a tour of Holden and meeting with company boss Mike Devereux.

Devereux wanted to know what the new Federal Government would be putting on the table, given the previous Gillard and Weatherill governments’ joint promise of a $285 million contribution towards a Holden plan to build two models at Elizabeth from 2016.

Macfarlane said on October 1 any new deal would be subject to a Productivity Commission review.

When he announced the terms of that review yesterday, all hell broke loose.

Weatherill said the timeline of the review – an interim report in December and a final report in late April – put Holden at risk.

“This is an urgent matter. What they’re suggesting is that we should wait something in the order of six months for a response to Holden’s proposition,” he said.

“That increases the risk of the closure of Holden unacceptably and I’ve communicated this in clear terms to Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane.

“Holden would be secure today if the previous Federal Government’s policy had been implemented.”

Macfarlane told FiveAA’s Leon byrner this morning he’d had no complaint from the Premier, nor from Holden.

“I’m bloody angry Jay Weatherill has politicised this issue,” he said.

“Jay is politicking for his own gain.

“Holden is not complaining to me about the timeline; Jay has not complained.”

Macfarlane said the Abbott Government would not be putting money into an industry if there is no genuine reason to do so.

“It is under threat – make no mistake,” he said.

“Holden will be given an indication by Christmas and by late April they will get a final decision.

“Let’s be clear; there has to be a sound fact-based process.

“That’s been my decision since day one. Holden knows it and Jay Weatherill knows it.

“It has always been clear that the full process would take six to eight months to complete.

“Mr Weatherill was present on a number of occasions when I said that and raised no public objection to the timeframe.”

Weatherill stuck by his stance today, launching an “awareness” campaign to garner public support for the industry.

Weatherill kicked off the campaign with a visit to automotive parts manufacturer Carr Components where workers signed up to the campaign to show why the car industry is important to jobs and the economy.

“The More than Cars campaign will give auto industry workers and their families a voice,” Mr Weatherill said.

“The campaign is important because this industry really is about much more than cars.

“In South Australia alone, it provides as many as 13,000 jobs and $1.2 billion to the economy.

“It is about the people who work in the car industry, the people who supply the industry and all of the other local businesses that rely on it.”

Weatherill repeated his statement that the delay in federal government commitment was crucial.

“Holden has made it clear it needs more government support, not less and has put an offer to the Federal Government.

“The State Government is willing to make a contribution, Holden workers have made a contribution – what we need now is for the Federal Government to make its commitment to securing these workers’ future.

“The longer the Federal Government delays, the more likely it is that Holden will leave Australia.”