Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Prime Minister's successful visit to Washington DC, during which the United States-Australia framework for securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths was signed with the President of the United States, a landmark bilateral framework on critical minerals and rare earths;

(2) notes that the agreement will:

(a) assist both countries in achieving resilience and security of critical minerals and rare earth supply chains;

(b) support Australian jobs in the mining, separation, and processing of these minerals through the use of economic policy tools and coordinated investment; and

(c) support defence and other advanced technologies; and

(3) recognises that this agreement:

(a) represents a further strengthening of the enduring Australia-United States alliance and a significant milestone in the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two nations; and

(b) is delivering on the Government's Future Made in Australia agenda by driving investment in new export industries and providing good jobs in regional Australia.

Today I speak about a landmark achievement for Australia's economic and strategic future, the signing of the United States-Australia Framework for Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths, reached during Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's successful visit to Washington DC. This agreement represents a major milestone in the enduring friendship between our two nations and a deepening of the alliance that has shaped our shared prosperity and security for generations. It is also a cornerstone of our Future Made in Australia agenda, driving investment in new export industries, creating jobs in local communities and securing the resources and technologies that will power our clean energy future.

Australia is home to some of the most valuable deposits of critical minerals and rare earths in the world. Nearly the whole of the periodic table sits below the ground we stand on. These are called critical because they are essential to the world's transition to net zero: the batteries that store renewable energy, the turbines that generate it and the solar panels that capture it. But their importance goes further. Light and heavy rare earths are central to high-tech manufacturing, defence, artificial intelligence and clean energy. They power the data centres, precision systems and advanced technologies that underpin the evolving modern economy.

The US-Australia framework will help create diverse, resilient and sustainable critical minerals supply chains that reduce global market concentration and strengthen both nations' economic security. It provides the architecture for coordinated investment, mobilising financing from both governments and private industry to support mining, processing and manufacturing projects in both countries. It will diversify supply chains essential for defence and advanced technology manufacturing and will enhance investor confidence through transparency, clear regulation and shared standards. Through the framework both nations have committed to at least $1 billion each in funding to accelerate projects that strengthen critical mineral and rare earth supply.

This is about jobs. It's about making sure that regional Australians—those working in our mines, refineries and processing facilities—are at the centre of the industries that define the 21st century. It's about securing Australia's role in global supply chains so that, when the world looks for responsibly sourced, high-quality materials, they look to Australia first. And it's about strengthening the industries that underpin our national security, ensuring we have the materials we need for clean energy, advanced manufacturing and defence capability. The framework will also leverage our existing policy tools and international partnerships through the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan, the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative and our Critical Minerals Strategy 2023-2030.

Australia and the United States have worked closely for years to identify and support projects of shared interests, and this framework formalises that partnership. Together we will invest in new critical minerals projects, enhanced mining and processing capability, promote high-standard production and cooperate to address market challenges such as unfair trade and price volatility. The Prime Minister said in Washington that this is about ensuring that our nations lead in the industries that matter most to our future prosperity, climate security and defence capability. Domestically the Albanese Labor government is reinforcing this international effort by establishing the Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve.

The reserve will help Australia manage volatility in global supply chains—something we saw last year in nickel and lithium—by allowing the government to act from a position of strength when markets are disrupted. It will operate through two key mechanisms: national offtake agreements to acquire or option key minerals at set prices and selective stockpiling to secure access to the minerals most vital to our national interests. A dedicated taskforce has been established to deliver this work and the reserve is on track to be operational by the end of 2026. Together the framework and the reserve reflect a clear vision: an Australia that doesn't just export raw materials but refines, processes and manufactures the products the world needs; a nation that turns our natural resources into long-term prosperity for regional communities; a trusted partner to our allies; and a global leader in sustainable, high-standard production. This is a future made in Australia—stronger, fairer and more secure. That is what good leadership looks like—a plan for a cleaner, stronger and more sovereign Australia.

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