QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (14:09): Again, I thank Senator Ghosh for that question. It is described by industry as the most significant reform to the nation's gas market in a generation—significant economic reform. It will deliver long-term contracts and lower cost gas.

That means long-term confidence and low-cost gas as a competitive advantage for Australian industry, and that confidence means industrial investment and good blue-collar jobs in regional Australia. It's already having an impact. Australia's only producer of phosphate fertilisers, Phosphate Hill in north-west Queensland, last year had no buyers.

As a result of this government's intervention in the Glencore Mount Isa smelter and this government's announcement of the orderly process towards a gas reservation, there were multiple buyers overnight, and that facility has been sold and continues to operate for the benefit of Australia's— (Time expired)