PM Tony Abbott pressed to explain why money to save Cadbury jobs denied to SPC Ardmona

The PM is being accused of playing politics on rescue spending. Source: News Limited

And it's a story which shows that the end of the "age of entitlement" announced yesterday by the Government is conditional on whether votes are being pursued.

In late August last year the then Opposition Leader Tony Abbott promised $16 million for the overhaul of a Cadbury chocolates factory in Tasmania.

"Occasionally, I think it is necessary to offer help and let's not forget that this money is going to result in $50 million of private investment, a significant expansion in production, a significant expansion in exports and a very significant expansion in employment," said the man who soon would change his tune when he became Prime Minister.

At the time shadow treasurer Joe Hockey was asked at the National Press Club: "How can voters believe that we're in these perilous economic times, when we have to be tough on what we spend, when you guys are out there pork barrelling so merrily?''

Mr Hockey replied: "I want to make a confession to the Australian people today: I'm a sucker for chocolate, right? And even you journos are a sucker for chocolate.

"The thing about the Cadbury's factory is, it's been a tourism icon in Hobart and it was effectively closed down, as I understand it, because of problems with occupational health and safety.

‘Sucker for chocolate’: Treasurer Joe Hockey Source: News Limited

"If we help them to fix it we can help the economy of Hobart and the economy of Tasmania and I see that as a good thing.''

Mr Abbott and Mr Hockey now are in Government and the difficulty for them is that the case they made so strongly for the Cadbury spending could be made even more powerfully for the SPC Ardmona fruit cannery in Shepparton which has been denied $25 million in federal help.

The cannery also is also owned by a huge multinational - Coca-Cola Amatil - which was prepared to inject extra funds, in this case around $95 million.

Tony Abbott pledges his support for the Cadbury factory in Tasmania during last year’s election campaign. Source: News Limited

The Government has attacked what it says are overgenerous pay and conditions at the cannery, and insisted the companies problems came from a high wages bill. Today it was revealed Cadbury workers have received pay rises of 24 per cent over just four years.

The only difference appears to be that we aren't in the middle of a federal election campaign today. There are no votes to be bought in Shepparton.

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