Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator Ayres. With respect to your government's decision to bail out the Whyalla smelter and, more recently, the Nyrstar smelters in Port Pirie and Hobart, why have you left workers at the Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville refinery high and dry when the clock is ticking?

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

Thanks, Senator McDonald, for that question. I'll make a few points about the two enterprises that you referred to and I will come to, of course, that very important facility at Mount Isa that is currently run by Glencore. That is, of course, an important venture itself, but there are a series of other very significant industrial ventures that rely upon the Mount Isa Mines copper facility that is run by Glencore.

In terms of the Whyalla intervention that you referred to, it is very important that corporate Australia learns the right lesson from the Whyalla intervention. It is a very significant intervention—not just by the Commonwealth government. It's led by two governments: the South Australian government—under Peter Malinauskas, that very fine premier of South Australia—and the Albanese Labor government. The outcome of that intervention is that Australian steelmaking capability is protected and the corporate entity that ran that facility—'ran' being a generous term—now no longer operates that facility.

In terms of the progress that this government is making in relation to others smelters around the country, there have been no announcements in relation to Nyrstar. We are working very closely with that firm—focused on the national interest, focused on the economic and social benefits but, in particular, focused on the strategic benefits, particularly around critical minerals production in Australia. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McDonald, first supplementary?

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the gravity of the situations in Mount Isa and Townsville, will the federal government follow the Queensland government in putting forward a proposal to secure the future of the smelter, the refinery and, importantly, the thousands of jobs that are now at risk?

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

I'm glad that you refer to the Queensland government, Senator McDonald. This government is working very closely with the Crisafulli government and Minister Dale Last. I just got off the phone with him a minute ago, actually. He's a very fine fella. I travelled recently, after meeting with Premier Crisafulli and with Minister Last, to Mount Isa to meet with Glencore and to meet with the mayor and community representatives in Mount Isa. We are very focused not on pointing fingers at state governments but on working in cooperation with state governments. They have been very engaged with Glencore.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McDonald, second supplementary?

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's reported that you'll be meeting with Glencore today. How many times have you met with Glencore before today's meeting?

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

I'll come back to you if this is wrong, but at least twice—perhaps more than that. I did meet with representatives of Glencore again today. I have been closely coordinating with colleagues in the Queensland government about the approach the Queensland government has taken to that set of issues, and engaging, as you would expect, over a facility that is of this importance. I have no trouble with timekeeping, Senator McDonald. I'm very conscious of the importance of that facility for Mount Isa, for the region, for the copper industry, for the facilities that rely upon it and for the Queensland economy in Australia's broader strategic and economic resilience national interest.