QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Mr BOWEN (McMahon—Minister for Climate Change and Energy) (14:09): I thank the honourable Leader of the Opposition for the question. The first thing to say is that the employees of Tomago have had confronting news today. On behalf of the government, I'm sure, I express our solidarity with the workers of Tomago and the people of the Hunter.
There is a month of consultation, but we will stand with the workers of Tomago, regardless of what comes. That is the first and most important thing to say. Rio and Tomago have today announced the beginning of a consultation about the future of the Tomago smelter.
It is true that they referred to energy prices in that announcement. They made clear, in the announcement today: Finding competitively priced energy remains the central challenge … They went on to say: Based on market proposals received to date, the cost of both coal-fired and renewable energy options from January 2029 would increase significantly, fundamentally changing operating economics and leaving the smelter unviable.
That is what they said. Then they go on to say that it is difficult to find enough renewable energy for the project. What they're saying is what we say: we need more of the cheapest and most reliable energy for our grid.
This is an important and difficult period for the Tomago smelter. The government has been in discussions with Rio through the industry minister, the Treasurer, myself and others for some time, and we will continue that over the coming month and for as long as it takes to make sure nothing is left on the field when it comes to the future of the workers at Tomago.
That's the view of our Hunter MPs. That's the view of every member of the cabinet. What we won't do, what you will not hear, is any one member of this government stand at this dispatch box and celebrate the death of manufacturing jobs in this country.
I am old enough to remember that happening. I'm old enough to have been sitting there when a treasurer of Australia goaded manufacturing to leave this country. I remember what that was like, and it won't happen on our watch.
Nor will we say, as a Liberal government said the last time an aluminium smelter closed in Australia—the then Treasurer said, 'If you get entirely despondent about one business closing, you'll ignore the fact that, at any other time, other businesses are opening, and those are the jobs of tomorrow.' Well, I'm sure that made the workers of Point Henry feel a lot better, when the Treasurer of Australia, Joe Hockey, said that at this dispatch box the last time an aluminium smelter announced their closure in this country!
We will work with the workers, the owners, the unions and the business community of the Tomago and Hunter to ensure not only that nothing is left on the field for the jobs of today but that we are creating the jobs of tomorrow for them as well. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER: There was just far too much noise during that answer. Everyone's had a pretty good go.
The members for Forrest, Lyne, Gippsland, the Leader of the Opposition—I appreciate your interjections, but it is not going to continue. The member for Fairfax as well. I forgot him.
We're just not going to have that level of interjection. It's not a wall of noise. Mr Hawke: Bowen effect!
The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business is warned, and if he interjects again he will leave the chamber. There are no questions about that one. I will now hear from the member for Paterson.