Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator Ayres. Green iron represents a massive opportunity for jobs, investment and exports in line with a Future Made in Australia. The government has allocated $2.4 billion to Whyalla, but we have an equally valuable magnetite resource in mid-west WA. Major investors are now turning to the Middle East to invest in green iron because of positive government support, which puts future WA jobs in this sector at risk. While the WA state government is investing, we need the speed and scale that only the Commonwealth can deliver. Premier Roger Cook is in Canberra, so I'm sure WA is on the agenda. Minister, what funding has the federal government allocated for common user infrastructure at Geraldton port to crowd in private capital and investment?

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

Senator, thank you for that question. I know this is the states house, but I would not pit Australians against each other on these questions. Investment in South Australia, which is a very good investment—it's very important to take that facility away from its owner, who was running it into the ground, against our national interest and industrial capability—is a good thing for Australia and a good thing for South Australians. It maintains our iron- and steel-making capability in Australia while we build for the future.

You are right to point to Western Australia's enormous potential advantage here. What this government is trying to do is achieve two objectives—all of them opposed by the Liberals and Nationals, and Lord knows what the One Nation party's position is on these questions. We are for a future made in Australia for this sector, and we're doing it for two reasons. One is to secure future iron production in Australia and move up the value chain to secure good jobs.

Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of relevance, President, I was asking specifically about the Geraldton port funding. I know there was a preamble, but you could you please direct the minister.

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

The minister is being relevant to your question, Senator Payman.

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

There are two purposes. One is to move Australia up the value chain and secure this industrial capability and good-quality blue-collar jobs in our regions, and that is very much a Western Australian story. Secondly, the objective here is to protect the future of our iron ore sector, which cannot be left unprotected to be entirely reliant upon its current export markets, because some of our customers are moving to diversify their supply chains, and that puts our iron ore sector—if we are not thoughtful about planning for the future—at some competitive disadvantage. That's the focus of our policy. That's what we're going to do.

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

Senator Payman, first supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Commonwealth collect tens of billions in corporate tax revenue from the iron ore industry in WA. Minister, why is the federal government giving zero dollars to safeguard WA's No. 1 export industry and ensure the industry has a future in Australia through green iron?

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

As I've said, we are for Australia and Australia's capability here. The story of future iron production in Australia is very much a Western Australian story. The future critical minerals production in Australia is a South Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory and WA story. There is a billion dollars there just to deal with one program—a billion dollars in the Green Iron Investment Fund. Now, Premier Cook is here today. He is making—

Not in the chamber, Senator Ciccone, but here in Canberra. He is about the house, making representations on behalf of Western Australia. I'm sure he will be doing it in relation to future iron production. I guarantee that we will develop a joint approach, implemented over time with the government of Western Australia, in the interests of— (Time expired)

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

Senator Payman, second supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For all my constituents from WA who are listening in, how many well-paying highly skilled future-proof WA jobs are we potentially sacrificing by failing to invest in this opportunity now? You claim to be working very closely with Premier Cook. Surely WA is on the agenda, but you have not mentioned anything about any project in WA.

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

That is obviously a prewritten question that bears no relationship to what is actually happening and the progress that is being made with the government of Western Australia in the real world on our future iron investments there. The work that is being done on making sure there is a clear technological pathway through, whether it's NeoSmelt or these other projects that are being supported by overseas investors, Australia's iron ore sector, and our research and development capability will be in the interests of thousands of good blue-collar jobs, and they will protect the mining industry in Western Australia from the potential losses that would occur had this government not got a progressive agenda for a future made in Australia.