Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Swan for her question, which goes to the heart of Australia's national interests. Last week I was in Washington, DC, where I represented Australia at the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Fifty-four nations attended the ministerial gathering, and the message was clear: the world needs more reliable, more transparent and more resilient critical minerals supply chains. No nation on Earth is better placed to supply those minerals than Australia.

The Albanese Labor government has stepped up to lead globally on critical minerals and rare earth supply chains. Since day one, this government has been focused on creating more well-paid, secure jobs for Australians. Since day one, this government has developed policies to ensure this nation makes the most of its natural resources advantages by developing a critical minerals industry. We have agreed a critical minerals and rare earths framework agreement with the US, the first country to do so. We have provided leadership by working with the US, the UK, Japan, Canada, Korea, the European Union and the g7+.

Over 3½ years, this united government has worked together to back that diplomacy with serious domestic policy. We have legislated production tax credits for processing critical minerals and rare earths. We have made a generational investment in geoscience. We have created the Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve. The result is that this government has made Australia an indispensable player in global discussions on critical minerals.

Australia's strategic reserve is world leading. Indeed, the US announced just last week its own critical minerals reserve in the $12 billion Project Vault. Our allies and partners around the world are following Australia's lead to develop secure supply chains in critical minerals. There is consensus everywhere except over there. The on again, off again, on again coalition oppose the strategic reserve which the US is now implementing. They voted against production tax credits, and, with absolutely no consultation, the member for Hume dismissed production tax credits for the resources industry less than an hour after it was announced by the Treasurer. That's some leadership style, and I'm sure it bodes well for future discussions with her colleagues.

They are at odds with each other, and they are at odds with the rest of the world. We should remember that, when last in government, the coalition had two resources ministers, and now they are doing it again. We have an acting shadow resources minister over here, and we have a second resources shadow in the sin bin.

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