QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:13): First I'd say, Senator—and I understand that there's a desire to play a bit of politics and a bit of ideology in this—what we are very clear about is that securing Whyalla is essential. It is essential because we do want to continue to see domestic structural and long-steel capability.

We are prepared to work with the South Australian government, the workers, their union and the community to ensure a future for Whyalla. Yes, we are prepared to invest taxpayer funds because we believe industrial capability matters to our country. Senator, I would make the point that a number on your side—and I can't recall if you were one of them—were highly critical of the government stepping in to secure the future of Tomago, but we did that.

We did that because it is critical not only to have that capability but also to the regional economy and— The PRESIDENT: Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator McDonald. Senator McDonald: I specifically asked about the safeguards tax.

Could you please redirect the minister. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator McDonald. There was also the preamble.

I believe the minister's being relevant to your question, and I'll continue to listen carefully. Senator WONG: Senator, if you look at the challenges of Whyalla, the challenges of that particular facility and the underinvestment by the previous owner, I think you will see the reasons why the blast furnace is in the state that it is. But the point I'm making is an important point, because there is a difference between your side of politics and ours.

We believe that a future made in Australia matters. We believe that jobs in these heavy industries matter, and we believe that it is important for governments to ensure that those industries can make the transition and be a long-term, sustainable part of the Australian economy, and it is your side of politics who have complained long and hard about government stepping up, stepping in and investing in these sectors.

The PRESIDENT: Senator Macdonald, first supplementary?