It's a clear choice this year: an Albanese Labor plan for Tomago, the Hunter and manufacturing, or the reckless arrogance of ill-conceived policy led by Peter Dutton's Coalition.
Over its term, the Albanese government has put its $22.7 billion Future Made in Australia plan into action.
Australians are living in one of the most tumultuous periods of world order we've seen.
There is increased global competition for trade and investment, with growing uncertainty around the traditional rules-based international trade system. Against this backdrop, the absolute central driver behind Labor's approach is to create and protect good blue-collar jobs in our regions and outer suburbs. To do this, we need to guard the industries we have and secure the investment needed to attract new industries.
First, to the industries we are protecting.
In January 2025, the Prime Minister, along with Ed Husic, and Meryl Swanson MP, stood at the smelter and announced a $2 billion investment in the Australian-made aluminium industry. It was opposed by Dutton and the Coalition.
This investment helps protect the 5000 aluminium jobs in the Hunter, 3000 Central Queensland jobs, and 1000 direct and indirect Northern Tasmanian jobs at Bell Bay. Facilities will be eligible for support for every tonne of clean, reliable Australian-made aluminium they make over 10 years.
We saw this month a regrettable decision from the US regarding steel and aluminium tariffs. The Albanese government is fiercely advocating for Australian industries with both the US and our other trading partners. We are backing Aussie steel with our $1 billion fund and our intervention at the Whyalla Steelworks.
In comparison, Angus Taylor wants to offshore aluminium jobs. If Dutton wins, Taylor becomes treasurer. Before becoming an MP, Taylor proudly advocated for offshoring Australia's aluminium industry to China or India. His report suggested the closure of Australia's aluminium industry was 'inevitable' and strongly advocated hastening its decline by directly exporting bauxite, the raw materials of aluminium, to China and India, rather than processing bauxite here to make aluminium. This is before you consider the impact that nuclear would have on the region. The Coalition's modelling for the nuclear energy scheme is predicated on the complete wipeout of the aluminium industry.
Its modelling relies on a 50 per cent reduction in energy-intensive electricity use from 2030. Under its plan, heavy industry, including aluminium, moves offshore.
Industries such as aluminium are central to the Hunter. With a highly skilled workforce, solid transmission infrastructure, renowned training and research facilities, and the port, the Hunter is perfectly positioned to attract new and emerging industries.
To attract new industries, we need reliable, affordable energy. Energy Minister Chris Bowen is leading the building of a modern renewable energy system to replace ageing coal-fired power assets. Whether that's the Waratah Super Battery 25 kilometres south of the retiring Eraring coal-fired power station, or the Merriwa Energy Hub Solar Farm and Battery Storage, which will create 550 jobs, we are getting on with the work now. Not in the 2040s when the first nuclear reactor comes online and when coal-fired power stations are well past their use-by date.
I am particularly proud that the Liddell Battery, which is supported by this government, will create 150 jobs during construction and will source 95 per cent of its steel locally.
A few weeks ago in the Hunter, the Prime Minister announced that a re-elected Albanese government would strengthen local content requirements. We'll work with the states and territories to make sure that when wind towers are needed, they're made with local steel. We're investing $500 million for local production so that wind towers and other elements of the renewables rollout are made here in the regions.
Our plan is about strengthening industries, and backing Hunter workers. That's why we're investing $56 million to establish the Net Zero Manufacturing TAFE Centre of Excellence for the Hunter.
The Albanese government has a detailed and systematic plan to protect our industrial heartlands.
