Scott Morrison challenges Labor to support policies to help miners

Saying he’ll take a “Frank Sinatra” approach to reaching net zero, Scott Morrison has set the resources sector up as a key election issue.

Labor has been challenged to prove their pro-resources credentials, with the prime minister saying that the party’s continued opposition to reforms around environmental standards, new energy technologies, and unlocking gas basins means that they will not be able to say that they are a pro-mining party.

Speaking at the annual Minerals Council of Australia dinner in Canberra Wednesday night, Mr Morrison promised that the government would take a “Frank Sinatra approach” to getting the resources sector to operate in a low emissions and eventually net zero economy.

“We’re going to do it our way in Australia, the Australian way. If we can do it in the Pilbara, if we can do it there, we can do it anywhere, as Frank used to sing about New York,” Mr Morrison said, in a politics-charged speech framing the division between Labor and the Coalition over resources and, crucially, jobs in the resources sector.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has challenged Labor over the mining industry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“This is the approach we have to take … the Australian way, which says we can make these (net zero) commitments and not forsake our heavy industries, not forsake our mining industries.”

Throwing down the gauntlet to Labor, telling the mining industry, “We believe in your sector. That is the test, if you’re for the resources sector and regional jobs in this country.”

“If you’re opposed to those things, you are seeking to have no part in the future of regional Australia and industries that support it,” he said.

“If you’re for the resources sector, you’ll support those changes. If you’re not for the resources sector, you’ll vote against them. The Labor Party is going to vote against them and they’re terribly riven within their own ranks when it comes to those issues.

“On our side of politics, in my government, we’re all for it. We’re all for it. Because we want to see these investments take place and these technologies emerge and we want to see Australia be competitive in the new energy economy.”

Mr Morrison’s speech followed Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese’s own address to the industry earlier in the week.

On Wednesday Mr Albanese pledged support for mining minerals expected to be in high demand in a low-carbon economy including aluminium, copper, lithium, and so-called “rare earths”, as well as adding value by processing commodities before export.

“With automation on the rise across the globe, labour costs are falling as a proportion of total production costs.

“When we combine that trend with lower power prices due to use of renewables, suddenly manufacturing becomes competitive in this country,” he said.