Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Tyrrell, for that question. It is an important question. I can confirm that this government and I are working very closely with the government of Tasmania. There are negotiations going on between Hydro Tasmania—the state government owned electricity provider in Tasmania—and the owners of that facility. I am very focused on making sure that those negotiations conclude with the best possible result.

It is absolutely my preference and the government's preference that—where these aluminium facilities have been established around the country, largely they have been there because there is a state owned electricity generator, apart from those states now where they've been privatised and the aluminium smelter owner is facing a private market. In Tasmania, there is a publicly owned facility. It's a proud Tasmanian asset. I've been engaged with the state government at all levels. My department has been engaged at an official level. I want to see proper accountability about that process. I've spoken to the Premier of Tasmania and the relevant ministers. I think I've even had a couple of chats with some of my colleagues on the other side here who've expressed an interest, and they should. I'm very open about that process. It's an important facility in the Tasmanian economy, as is the adjoining Liberty Bell Bay manganese smelter.