STRUGGLING fruit canner SPC Ardmona today undermined the Government's blistering attack on its apparently generous working conditions.

Senior government officials had claimed the workforce had nine weeks' leave a year. The company said the actual figure was 20 days.

The Government said the workers were paid a loading on top of overtime. The company said almost zero overtime is paid. An agreement for cashing in sick leave ended in 2012.

According to the Government the workers received a generous wet allowance. In fact, no wet allowance was paid in 2012.

The comeback from SPCA's parent company Coca-Cola Amatil came after local federal Liberal Dr Sharman Stone effectively accused Prime Minister Tony Abbott of lying about the cannery's pay and conditions.

Asked on ABC radio if the Government's attacks amounted to lying Dr Stone said: "It's not the truth. That's right, it's lying.''

Dr Stone also said, "What really upsets me most ... the Federal Government didn't say, Look we'd love to help but we just don't have the money right now.

"What they said was: 'We're not going to help because it is the amazing wages and conditions that have knocked this company for six.'"

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The Government has declined to provide $25 million in assistance to the cannery and while it is expected to hold firm the matter was almost certain to be discussed in Cabinet today.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said Coca-Cola Amatil had the cash to rescue the cannery. The government did not.

Senator Cormann said Labor should help scrap the carbon price if it wanted to help the SPC workers.

He declined to discuss the workplace conditions and wages when asked by reporters in Canberra. "The Government did not make a decision based on false information," said the minister. "We had all the information in front of us including the information on the enterprise bargaining agreement."

In a new development, rebel Liberal Sharman Stone tonight emailed her Government colleagues in a bid to force cabinet to reconsider its snub of Shepparton fruit processor SPC Ardmona.

Dr Stone wants to mobilise support for her defiance of Prime Minister Ton Abbott, whom she today called a liar for his claims SPC workers had cushy wages and conditions.

Her appeal threatens to make Mr Abbott's refusal to grant the cannery $25 million in rescue funds a major internal problem for the Government.

Dr Stone emailed MPs a copy of a press release from SPC in which the company said Government claims of over-generous wags and leave provisions at the cannery were factually incorrect.

She said there were sufficient grounds for a reappraisal of the funding rebuff. Dr Stone effectively asked MPs to take sides.

Cabinet failure to support SPCA has national as well as catastrophic local impacts. Once gone you dont get back a fruit processing industry — Sharman Stone MP (@SharmanStone) January 30, 2014

So Cadbury chocolate tourism and Tas dairy suppliers have more value than SPCA fruit processors and orchardists to the Aust economy. Really? — Sharman Stone MP (@SharmanStone) February 2, 2014

In response to Government claims of overgenerous allowances the company said, "The total allowances paid to SPC production staff in 2013 was $116,467, which represented less than 0.1 per cent of the business's cost of goods for the year."

The company also had been accused of giving staff five days off for the Melbourne Cup.

It replied, "Production staff accrue rostered days off (RDOs) during the year which SPCA requires them not to take during the peak season.

"Instead these RDOs are taken at the start of November, the optimum time for a plant shutdown to allow maintenance in preparation for the canning season from December to April. RDOs are not additional leave."

SPCA said it had the same shift allowances as other factories, with 20 per cent added for afternoon shifts and 30 per cent at night.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten backed Liberal MP Dr Stone and called the Government's criticisms "a disgrace and an absolute insult to these workers".

"Tony Abbott and (Employment Minister) Eric Abetz should stop blaming the workers for their decision to sell out SPC Ardmona jobs. These workers are hardworking Australians on average or below average incomes," Mr Shorten said today.

"They're not living a life of luxury - a typical worker is earning less than $50,000. They are struggling with cost of living pressures, they are worried about the future of their jobs, about health services and their kids' education."