Jessica Collins (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Minister Ayres. In January 2025 the minister visited Tomago Aluminium to announce a $2 billion green-aluminium production credit, declaring, 'This is what a future made in Australia looks like.' Given Tomago now faces closure with the possible loss of more than 1,000 jobs, is this what the future made in Australia really looks like under this government—manufacturing closures and job losses?

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

Thank you for that question. I was interested to see whether at any point today, after all this fanfare about additional questions, there was ever going to be a moment where this self-absorbed circular Canberra club hopelessly divided amongst themselves would actually ask a question about this important industrial facility in the Hunter Valley. What it turns out we have is a question that is asked in precisely the same terms as a question that was asked three days ago over there. This show can't even make up their own questions.

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

Senator Ruston?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order of relevance, I was wondering whether you might direct the minister to answer the question.

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

I think the minister is being relevant, but if he's not directly relevant I will draw him to the question.

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

What you will find, of course, is that, in the period since I was appointed as the minister for industry, this is one of the questions that as the minister I have been very focused on. The truth is that this facility is facing a very uncertain future. That is the truth. It is facing markets that are very challenging because of over-subsidisation and overcapacity in certain markets, particularly in China, and tariff responses from economies around the world, not just the United States. It is facing a series of energy challenges largely brought upon, I have to say, by 10 years of inaction on the energy front, which means that there is less supply than there could have been. We'll see if the next question's original.

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

Senator McKenzie, first supplementary—I beg your pardon. Isn't it amazing that I think it's you, Senator McKenzie, because your interjections are constant. My apologies, Senator Collins; first supplementary.

Jessica Collins (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition called for aluminium, alumina and bauxite to be included on the critical minerals list in 2023, which would have allowed companies like Tomago and Alcoa's Kwinana refinery the ability to secure their production through a range of policy options. Why do you not see our aluminium sector and the thousands of workers as critical to Australia?

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

That is symbolism of the highest order. The question here is how we move to secure the future of this facility, and we will continue working on that very hard indeed, just the same as we are working on the future of the Boyne Island aluminium facility and the Bell Bay Aluminium facility that Senator Duniam took me to yesterday. All of these facilities are facing challenging circumstances—

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That must have been a quick trip.

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

I don't mean he took me there literally, Senator Canavan, although I'm always up for a trip with Senator Duniam. This is going to require effort, and there has been no doubt about our capacity to intervene— (Time expired)

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

Senator Collins, second supplementary?

Jessica Collins (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, considering the abject failures of industry and resources policy under your government, how many more smelters, refineries or industrial facilities have to close before you take action?

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

We've demonstrated, over the last few short months, our determination to intervene when it's in the national interest. We've intervened in the Nyrstar facilities in Hobart and in the Nyrstar facilities in Port Pirie. We've acted with the South Australian government to protect our national interest in terms of the steel industry, and we've moved with the LNP government in Queensland to protect the interests of not just Glencore in Mount Isa but that whole industrial system, acting to secure thousands and thousands of jobs.

That stands in stark contrast to the approach that was adopted by those opposite in government, when 40,000 jobs in the auto sector in Victoria were offshored deliberately in a vengeful, wilfully nasty kind of way. We have acted to intervene, and we will continue to do that. (Time expired)