Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
2:32 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. In September 2023, the Prime Minister said that Whyalla had 'an extraordinarily optimistic future' producing green steel and that wind and solar would help create green hydrogen for advanced manufacturing. He went on to say that Labor's plans would position the steelworks to succeed 'for decades to come'. Then on 20 March this year, again at the Whyalla Steelworks, the Prime Minister doubled down, saying the Labor government had saved the jobs of the Whyalla Steelworks and it was having record steelmaking. But on Monday, of course, it was announced that the blast furnace, very sadly, is being permanently closed. The only steelworks in Australia—
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
You are a fraud. You are a total fraud.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price NT, Country Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Skills and Training
You need to withdraw that.
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
I didn't hear him. I don't care.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
Sue Lines President
Come to order! I'm very sorry, Senator Canavan. Please resume your seat. I'll come back to you. I did not need all of those interjections. I intended to ask Minister Ayres to withdraw, but I was being courteous to Senator Canavan and allowing him to finish his question. But the interjections, particularly on my left, meant I couldn't do that. I apologise to Senator Canavan. Senator Ayres, you will withdraw those comments.
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
I withdraw.
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
Unlike Senator Ayres, I'm interested in this. It's the only steelworks in Australia that can produce hot rolled structural steel and rail from scratch.
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
You should go there. You've never been there.
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
I've been there twice, thank you very much. How can Labor claim its net zero policies are creating more secure manufacturing jobs when 500 workers will lose their jobs, our sovereign capacity is now at risk and we'll be even more reliant on imports?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
2:34 pm
Senator Canavan, I may not have been able to hear the entirety of your question, but I do get the gist of it, and I will seek to respond to it. I think the only part that I properly agree with is that this is a critical national capability, and it is, which is why the government is working with the South Australian government, with the workers, with the unions and with the community to ensure that Whyalla has a future.
I would also say to you that, like the community and the workers at Whyalla, we are angry at the years of underinvestment that have seen Whyalla be run into the ground. The blast furnace that you speak of has been in a perilous state of decay for a very, very long time, and hundreds of engineering and safety failures have been well documented over many years. Unlike you, we don't think that the coalition and others should be running interference for a British billionaire whose decisions have driven—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
This is exactly what you are doing. They pretend to be on the side of workers, colleagues, but actually they're running interference for a British billionaire whose entity engaged in underinvestment and poor administration, which has left the blast furnace in a state of decay and, importantly, left workers and the community where they are now. That is the truth of it. Frankly, it is only because of the efforts of the state and federal Labor governments and the effort of workers at Whyalla that the blast furnace has survived this long. That is the truth.
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
2:36 pm
I'm not going to cop lectures from the other side. Last time I went to Whyalla, we signed a deal for the steelworks to supply both steel and rail lines for the Adani Carmichael coal mine, which were delivered. They actually got delivered and helped save jobs for a change.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Senators:
Government senators interjecting—
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
Oh, they don't like that.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
On a point of order—I was actually also going to do it for Senator Shoebridge, who's now left the chamber, but I try to be ecumenical about the points of orders that I make where I can. Some people laughed! Standing order 73 is very clear about the rules relating to questions, and neither the comments by Senator Shoebridge nor the comments by Senator Canavan are compliant with standing order 73.
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
On the point of order, there are also points of order on relevance here, Madam President. My questions went to statements from the Prime Minister. Instead, this minister won't even be honest with the people of Whyalla, and she tries to deflect onto another person from another country. How about being accountable to the workers in Whyalla or your own—
Sue Lines President
Senator Canavan, take your seat! Minister Wong quoted standing order 73. Senator Canavan, I'm going to ask you to restate the question in the terms outlined in standing order 73.
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
It's a very simple question. Will the government's plans now mean that Australia will not be able to make structural steel, which holds up buildings, rail lines and bridges, from scratch? As well as being the world's largest exporter of coking coal and iron ore, will we still be able to make structural steel from scratch?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
2:39 pm
First, we are determined to ensure there remains a future for Whyalla. Senator Ayres was trying to explain to me which parts are still operating. Despite the blast furnace not operating, I understand that production continues in some parts of the enterprise, which goes to your point. Senator Canavan—and on this we do agree—steelmaking is a national—
Bridget McKenzie Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development
You need a furnace to make steel. That's like year 10 chemistry.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Senator McKenzie, I'm trying to answer your colleague's question.
Bridget McKenzie Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development
No, you're not.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Alright. Fine. What I was trying to say to Senator Canavan is that I do agree with him. We do agree with you that steelmaking is a critical national capability, and the Prime Minister has been very clear about that, which is why we have been so focused on ensuring we do all we can, put our shoulder to the wheel, to enable that capability to stay in Australia, just as we worked so hard at Tomago to ensure that that aluminium capacity also stayed in Australia. If I may say so— (Time expired)
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
2:40 pm
Minister, your government keeps telling us that renewables are the cheapest form of power, yet, even after providing $2.4 billion to the Whyalla steelworks, that's still closing because of sky-high electricity prices. When will Labor abandon its net zero fantasy and use all of Australia's energy resources, including coal, gas, uranium and renewables, to deliver cheap and reliable power?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Hon. Senators:
Honourable senators interjecting—
Sue Lines President
No, I'm not calling Minister Wong at the moment. Senator Canavan had the right to have his question heard in silence. I called for order a number of times, and I was completely ignored.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
2:41 pm
My recollection is it is a coal-fired blast furnace. What I'm saying to you is that the underinvestment by Mr Gupta and GFG Alliance has left Whyalla where it is, and it would be useful, instead of using this to try and pursue a political culture war, which is what you are doing, to perhaps look at the facts. You are running interference for a British billionaire, and it does not help the workers. I'd make this point—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Hon. Senators:
Honourable senators interjecting—
Sue Lines President
Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Canavan, I've called you at least three or four times, and I've also called you, Senator Ayres. If you can't listen in silence, leave the chamber, because you are being disrespectful and discourteous to me.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Remember that Tomago could not get coal fired power at a price where it was able to keep the facility open. I know that's an inconvenient fact for you. I know it's an inconvenient fact that the way to save Tomago was to go with renewables and gas, but that is the truth. The problem is for you, Senator Canavan, that the facts get in the way of your culture wars. (Time expired)