The Federal Government shares the sense of urgency and the questions of substance that sit behind what is happening with Mount Isa’s copper smelter operations, according to Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres.

Senator Ayres was responding to the Keep Our Copper delegation in Canberra this week seeking action to help keep Glencore’s Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville refinery open.

It comes after Glencore last week told employees it must start preparations to mothball the plants, saying assistance proposed by the State Government fell short of what was required.

“I just want to underscore for this group what you already know: the outcome here is uncertain,” Senator Ayres said.

“If we are going to land a future for this facility and a future for this region it is going to require all of us.

“You know, we see this sort of language about bailouts and, you know, subsidies. Well, the Commonwealth is there at the table.

“I am really grateful for the approach that the Queensland Government has taken as well working in lockstep with us carefully with the owners.”

Senator Ayres said the smelter was facing challenging circumstances, as was a range of facilities around the country.

“But they all have a different set of challenges. Some of them challenges in terms of their energy markets. Some of them face challenges in terms of the markets that they’re selling into.

“They all face the challenge of overcapacity and subsidisation in a series of other economies as well, and a response to the global trading environment becomes more volatile.

“That’s the challenge that, as Australians, we have to meet together.

“The outcome is uncertain, let’s all of us just recommit here in the Parliament of Australia to doing the right thing by Mount Isa, the right thing by North-West Queensland, the right thing by Queensland and Australia.” 

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