QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr CONROY (Shortland—Minister for Pacific Island Affairs and Minister for Defence Industry) (14:40): I thank the member for her question. We are absolutely committed to listening and acting for Australian manufacturers. Every day we get up and fight to support manufacturers, and that's what we're doing right now—fighting to keep Tomago open.

Unlike those opposite, we don't cheer when manufacturers go overseas. We don't say, 'You shouldn't be despondent,' when an aluminium smelter closes down, like the Liberal Party did in 2014. We're fighting very hard to support manufacturers every day, and that includes driving strong energy policies.

Unlike those opposite, who've had 23 failed energy policies, we're intent on speeding up the rollout of the cheapest form of new power, which is renewable energy, backed up by peaking gas, backed up by batteries and backed up by pumped hydro. I note the statement from Tomago's owner, Rio Tinto, that it was the lack of availability of renewable energy that was driving some of their decisions.

That stands in stark contrast to the experience of the Boyne Island smelter, which has secured, through its own actions and the actions of the Commonwealth government and state governments of both persuasions, power-purchasing agreements that cover 80 per cent of its power. And that's coming from renewable energy, which is locking in its future. Tomago has been unable to secure that so far, and that's why we're working really hard with them to find solutions.

But let's be frank about this. We're dealing with this because of 10 years of inaction from those opposite. And don't take my word for it.

Take the word of Rio's CEO, who in 2019 said, 'Australia lacks internationally competitive energy prices, which undermine the viability of these assets.' That's what they said in 2019, when they were experiencing the 23 failed energy policies of those opposite. We're getting on with the job. We're fighting hard to get energy prices down, unlike those opposite, who cheer when manufacturers go overseas, who've had 23 policies around energy, who are intent on fighting climate wars instead of getting on with the job of supporting manufacturers.

I'll never be lectured on support for manufacturers from the party of Joe Hockey, from the party who cheered when Toyota left, who cheered when General Motors left. We will fight for manufacturers every single day. The SPEAKER: Order!

The member for Wannon, on a point of order? Mr Tehan: Yes; it goes to relevance. He wasn't asked about the opposition; he was asked what he's doing to save those jobs.

The SPEAKER: Has the minister completed his answer? Mr Conroy: Yes.