In an ABC News Radio interview in August 2009 the Federal Opposition spokesperson for Industry Eric Abetz was discussing the need for greater transparency in relation to the Rudd Government’s $3.4 billion in “transformation funding” for the Australian car industry. The call by the Opposition for the fund to be subject to the provision of a parliamentary report, which the Rudd Government claimed was unnecessary given the budget estimates hearing process, brought to mind a particular US political phenomenon with clear implications for the ICT industry.