Anthony Albanese digs deep in pitch to mining and resources sector

Anthony Albanese will warn mining chiefs the federal government has no long-term strategy to deal with a more assertive China.

Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Tuesday. Picture: Martin Ollman

Anthony Albanese will accuse Scott Morrison of “prioritising his domestic political interests over Australia’s national interests” and warn mining chiefs the federal government has no long-term strategy to deal with a more assertive China.

Amid Beijing’s restrictions on Australian coal exports, the federal Opposition Leader on Wednesday will declare the nation needs “more strategy and less politics when it comes to managing our differences with China”.

Speaking at the launch of Minerals Week in Canberra, Mr Albanese will seize on Australia’s souring relations with China and describe the government’s approach as a “real concern” for mining companies and exporters.

Mr Albanese’s intervention follows a speech by opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong last month in which she ­described Australia’s approach to China as “frenzied, afraid and lacking context”.

“Scott Morrison has no long-term strategy to deal with a changing China that is pressing its interests more assertively, while finding areas of potential co-operation, including on trade, that are in both our countries’ interests,” Mr Albanese will say.

“Recent comments from (Defence Minister) Peter Dutton and a senior official about the prospect of war might well inflame nationalistic sentiments and secure a grab (on) the six o’clock news – but foreign policy is not a game. It’s not a photo op. It’s a serious business, with profound security and economic implications.”

In his pitch to the resources sector, Mr Albanese will commit to taking his shadow ministry to the West Australian iron ore hub of Port Hedland later this month and support the future of metallurgical and thermal coal exports.

Mr Albanese, who is eyeing off the Coalition-held Queensland resources electorates of Flynn, Dawson and Capricornia at the next election, will also outline opportunities in expanding exports of aluminium, lithium, copper, ­cobalt, nickel and rare earths as the world moves towards a “low-carbon future”.

“Our nation’s top five resources exports are iron ore, LNG, gold, metallurgical coal and thermal coal. We are the world’s top exporter of iron ore, gold and metallurgical coal, joint top exporter of LNG and the second top producer of thermal coal,” he will say.

“These industries provide jobs for Australians. They provide economic activity in regional Australia and billions of dollars of revenue for governments. Australia will continue to export these commodities. But as everyone here knows, markets change.”

Mr Albanese will promote making Australia a leader in battery manufacturing and building renewables in the country rather than just shipping raw materials.