Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

():  I thank the member for Kennedy for his question. I'll ask the minister for resources to supplement my answer, but can I say that my government has been very focused on this. As the member for Kennedy knows, I've visited the great town of Mount Isa on many occasions, including with him, and we have intervened, together with the Crisafulli government, in a bipartisan way across the Commonwealth and the Queensland governments to defend industry there, particularly because we know the phosphate industry is critical for Australia. Had we not intervened last year, if we'd had the free market 'let it rip' approach, then we would have been in a really dire situation right now. That's the truth. The Minister for Industry and Innovation, Tim Ayres, worked very closely as well with his counterparts to make sure that we weren't in that position. I'll ask the Minister for Resources to add.

I thank the member for the diligent and passionate way in which he represents that community to make sure that jobs and industry are protected, not just in the interests of the people of Kennedy but, of course, in the national interest, because those industries are so important for our national economy.

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