PM reinforces Labor support for green hydrogen during Boyne Smelter visit

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia’s green energy potential is the “envy” of powerhouse countries like Japan and South Korea.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with Kellie Parker, Rio Tinto, Chief Executive, Australia, during a tour of the Boyne Smelters aluminium plant, in Gladstone , QLD. pic Lyndon Mechielsen

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reinforced Labor’s support for green hydrogen on during a visit to Rio Tinto’s Boyne Smelter in Gladstone.

Mr Albanese dismissed green hydrogen doubters, which include the LNP, as he compared the fledgling industry to the early days of solar energy.

“Green hydrogen, we believe, has a role to play in Australia’s future and indeed that’s recognised around the globe,” he said on Tuesday, March 18.

“When the solar industry was starting off decades ago, there were many who said, ‘oh, it doesn’t stack up.’ We know today that solar energy is the cheapest form of new energy.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Kellie Parker CEO Rio Tinto Australia during a visit to the Rio Tinto Boyne Smelter in Gladstone, QLD. Picture: NewsWire / Paul Beutel

Labor announced its $2b green aluminium election pledge in January which will provide taxpayer support for every tonne of green aluminium produced by the nation’s aluminium smelters, including Rio Tinto’s Gladstone operation, in the decade to 2036.

The policy, which has been dismissed as “$2b con job” by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, is focused on accelerating the move from coal power to renewable electricity via production credits.

Mr Albanese said Australia was in a unique position of having the best solar resources in the world, among the best wind resources in the world and it could harness that success to seize a huge opportunity with being at the forefront of green hydrogen development.

“We have everything that can go into the creation of green hydrogen to create green metals (and that) is very important going forward,” he said.

“We are the envy of countries like Japan and South Korea who simply aren’t in a position to have the space to be able to have this investment. And that’s why companies like Rio Tinto are backing renewables.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Kellie Parker CEO Rio Tinto Australia during a visit to the Rio Tinto Boyne Smelters in Gladstone, QLD. Picture: NewsWire /Paul Beutel

He said gas would also play a key role in the transition to a clean energy economy.

“Australia needs to be ambitious,” he said.

“We must be optimistic. We can create more jobs here. We can be a renewable energy superpower for the world.

“And working with the private sector is what we are doing. Working with companies here like Rio Tinto, here in Gladstone and in the Hunter Valley and at Bell Bay, to make sure that we can make that positive difference, create jobs and create wealth for Australia.”

Rio Tinto’s operations in Gladstone alone account for more than 3000 jobs, with 1000 of those at the Boyne smelter while its bauxite operations in Weipa employ more than 1300 people, supplying raw materials to the Gladstone manufacturing facilities.