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

I thank the member for Hasluck for her fine question. Like all members on this side of the House, she knows that Labor is the only party that truly supports the resources sector of this nation. From day 1 the Albanese Labor government has supported the resources industry and the over 300,000 resources workers right across this country—every single one of these members behind me.

Australia and Canada are natural partners in critical minerals. Both of our countries are major resources producers. We have a stellar opportunity for Australia and Canada to work together to play a powerful role in shaping how global markets develop while creating secure jobs at home. Earlier today, we heard from Prime Minister Carney, who said what we know to be true: that Canada and Australia are the world's two most reliable and like minded mining giants. We have each developed the most advanced extractive ecosystems in the world, and we are the world's critical minerals superpowers. Australia and Canada both know that we need to process and refine these critical minerals and rare earths in our own countries. Today, Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Carney committed to deepening our collaboration in critical minerals with regard to standards based markets, capital investment, having our strategic reserves work together and sharing our technical expertise on geoscience, mapping and the science of extraction and processing.

I want to thank Canada for inviting Australia to participate in the g7+ ministers meeting, which I was able to attend in Toronto last year. Following that work, Canada has backed us in, supporting us in being an integral part of the G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance. I want to thank—and I hope the minister for defence is in the distinguished visitors space there to pass on my thanks—my Canadian counterpart, Minister Tim Hodgson. He and I signed a joint declaration of intent between us at the meeting in Toronto last year.

I'm asked about threats to this nation's success. Well, I'll turn to the record. If I think of what we've announced for this space, there is $1 billion for critical minerals investments through the National Reconstruction Fund. We legislated for this. What did those opposite do? They voted against it. Then we committed, as a government, $1.2 billion to establish the Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve, which is now integral to our cooperation with Canada and with other nations as well. What did they do? They opposed it. Then there's the Resourcing Australia's Prosperity project—$3.4 billion. There was radio silence on that, but then they reannounced it for themselves! I checked today, and it's still on their website, so I guess I'll take the win in that respect. Then there are the production tax incentives, which they also voted against. (Time expired)

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