QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (14:34): Thanks, Senator Lambie. It was of course a significant Australian industrial facility. It provided manganese, historically, for Whyalla and for the Port Kembla steel plants.

It was also a significant input into US steel production. So it played an important role. It was run into the ground by its previous owner.

The point I was trying to make as I was wrapping up is that a manufacturing facility needs care every day and every week, particularly a smelter. If that care isn't applied and the investment doesn't occur, it breaks down and it becomes more and more expensive to run. Between the Albanese government and the Rockliff government in Tasmania, we provided a $10 million package to extend that— Senator AYRES: The advice was it's very significant and damage has been done because of the behaviour of the previous owner.

We provided a $10 million package to extend the administration and pay workers' wages, and an offer on the table— (Time expired)