LABOR PUSHES AUSTRALIAN MINERS TO BREAKING POINT

Shadow Minister for Resources, Senator Susan McDonald has urged the Albanese Labor Government to release the shackles it has imposed on Australian mining so companies can better weather volatile world markets.

Senator McDonald said price drops for lithium, nickel and iron ore in recent times had combined with “layering of regulation” imposed by the Federal Government to create some of the most hostile mining conditions seen in Australia.

“Resources companies know they can be impacted by global price volatility and manage their affairs accordingly, but having to also navigate an activist Federal Government is absolutely killing the confidence that Australia is a secure and friendly place to invest,” she said.

“Socialist market interventions, increased funding to anti-mining activist groups, a Resources Minister being contradicted by other Ministers trying to protect inner-city seats from the Greens, projects being rejected, blown-out approval times and unworkable industrial relations laws are all combining to worsen any impacts of price volatility.

“Despite iron, coal and gas having propped up Labor’s budget surpluses, they continue to wage war against the sector.

“Now that the unions have been given a free-pass into the Pilbara – a hub of wealth generation for Australia – what other hits will the iron sector bear whilst Labor repays their union paymasters?

“The continued increase in the cost of production in Australia should be of concern to the Government, however they seem to be under the impression that regardless of the continued layering of damaging policies on the resources sector, it will still be here to pay the bills. That is not the case.”

ENDS