Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise not to parrot newspaper headlines; instead, I have a question for the Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia. Minister, as you know, South32—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left will cease interjecting. The member for Canning will ask his question again, without a preamble, and he will be heard in silence.

Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia. Minister, as you know, South32, who operate the Worsley bauxite mine, in my electorate Canning, have recently announced a global restructure, in view of challenging global market conditions. Will the minister update the House on what support is available for workers and how Australia is well positioned to take advantage of future opportunities in the resources and energy sector?

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Canning for his question and acknowledge that he comes to this place with an extensive and distinguished career serving our country. He has won the respect of his constituents for the way he has advocated on issues like resources and, on their behalf, after the terrible fires in January in Waroona, in his electorate.

As the member mentioned, South32, Australia's fourth-largest listed mining company, which came out of the demerger with BHP, has announced as part of a global restructure that nearly 400 jobs will, sadly, be lost from its Worsley alumina project and that includes a number of constituents from his own electorate. This is part of a global restructure, which has seen jobs lost in Wollongong, the Northern Territory and, further afield, in Colombia and South Africa. It is a tough time for the sector globally. As a government, we will be working with those people who lost their jobs and providing assistance through the jobactive program to the affected employees, including for them to get the adequate training, case management support, interview assistance and job referrals. We are advised that the company will be providing full redundancy entitlements and access to career support and other assistance programs to those affected workers. Our mutual objective—us and the company involved—is to get these workers back into the workforce, either in the resources sector or in a related industry.

Despite these developments, we remain positive about the resources sector in Canning as well as in Australia more broadly. Canning is home to the world's largest bauxite mine at Huntly. It is also home to Australia's largest goldmine, in Boddington. Australia is advancing its resources and energy sector through innovation, automation, big-data analytics and a range of other factors. The Leader of the Opposition believes that the plan for Australia is, 'If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there.' We, on the other side, have a plan to advance the resources sector through innovation and collaboration between our research institutions, and the net result is going to be more jobs for the people of Canning and more jobs for the people of Australia.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Prime Minister. The Leader of the House.