LABOR “SPENT THE WEEKEND” ON VITAL CRITICAL MINERALS STRATEGY FOR TRUMP

• Labor admits only spending “the weekend” working on US critical minerals strategy
• Coalition wants to know why turbo-charging critical minerals plan wasn’t developed over the previous 3 years
• Self-declared “Team Australia” Prime Minister should show Australians the details of rushed plan

The Albanese Labor Government must explain why it has taken until now to promise to turbocharge Australia’s critical minerals sector to strengthen trade with the United States.

Shadow Minister for Resources, Senator Susan McDonald, said Labor had spent the past three years blocking and stalling new mining projects, which had now weakened Australia’s hard-earned credentials as a reliable trade supplier and a dependable ally.

She said proof of the ad-hoc, piecemeal, panicked and rushed proposal was revealed in a quote from the Federal Government that: “We spent the weekend putting it all together because we thought that was what they wanted.”

“The weekend?” Senator McDonald asked.

“After almost three years in office, Labor spent last weekend putting together a critical minerals strategy for our largest defence ally and essential trading partner, the United States,” she said.

Senator McDonald said Trump had become President-elect over four months ago.

“Labor should have been working with his team then. Not last weekend. And even before the Presidential election, irrespective of who became President, Australia should have been turbocharging our critical minerals sector for the almost last three years of the Albanese Labor Government,” she said.

Senator McDonald said Labor had dropped the ball on developing a critical minerals strategy that gave Australia’s allies confidence and security.

“As a part of Prime Minister Albanese’s self-described ‘Team Australia’ approach to trade, he may like to share the details with Australia,” she said.

Senator McDonald said President Trump had been making public comments about the need to access critical minerals, including rare earths, everywhere from Greenland to Ukraine.

“Yet Labor spent last weekend working on our proposal despite the fact we have bountiful supplies of two-thirds of the critical minerals the US needs,” she said.

Senator McDonald said Labor’s stalling on critical minerals included its self-celebrated Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive (CMPTI).

“Without any evidence the incentive will even work, even Labor admits it won’t take effect for over two more years, in July 2027, if it is elected to office,” she said.

Senator McDonald said it was time to get Australia back on track with secure commitments to our trading partners and allies.

ENDS