Labor MPs deliver warning on coal to Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese has been warned that Labor will lose votes in mining areas if the party is viewed as hostile to coal.

West Australian frontbencher Matt Keogh, pictured with Anthony Albanese, said the coal debate resonated with voters in the state. Picture: Colin Murty

Anthony Albanese has been warned that Labor will struggle to win the support of workers across the resources sector — including in the West Australian iron ore and gas industries — if the party is viewed as hostile to coal.

West Australian frontbencher Matt Keogh said the coal debate resonated with voters in the state, while WA colleague Patrick Gorman warned that voters in the state still raised the former government’s mining tax as a concern about Labor. Mr Keogh, Labor’s spokesman for West Australian resources who is in the Otis Group of pro-resources Labor MPs, said Australia could remain an ­“energy-exporting superpower” and have a strong manufacturing sector while taking action on climate change.

LABOR WARNINGS AGAINST ATTACKS ON MINING

“Western Australia is a ­resources-based economy, so when people appear to be against one area of the resources sector, WA gets worried,” Mr Keogh said.

“Labor is a party that supports the resources industry and its workers across the nation, as well as supporting action to reduce emissions. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.

“Critical minerals from the WA resources industry like ­lithium, rare earths, iron ore, ­copper, nickel and titanium, along with liquefied natural gas and ­hydrogen, will be key to a low-­carbon future.”

The warning from Mr Keogh builds on concerns about the electoral consequences over Labor’s reluctance to talk up the coal ­export industry. The party’s campaign review found Bill Shorten’s equivocation over the Adani coalmine cost support throughout Queensland and the NSW Hunter Valley.

Labor holds five out of 16 seats in Western Australia and registered a primary vote of 29.8 per cent at last year’s poll. There have been larger-than-average swings against Labor in mining electorates in Queensland, Western Australia and NSW since Kevin Rudd became prime minister in 2007.

Labor’s primary vote in the central Queensland seat of Capricornia is less than half of what it was in 2007, having fallen 32.1 percentage points to 23.7 per cent last year. The decline in neighbouring Dawson was 27.8 per cent and 18.3 per cent in Townsville-based Herbert.

The ALP primary vote in the NSW coalmining seat of Hunter has dropped 22.4 per cent over 12 years, while there have also been big swings against Labor in nearby Shortland (15.6 per cent) and the south coast coal seat of Whitlam (16.2 per cent).

Labor’s primary vote in Mr Keogh’s vote of Burt, home to many of the state’s fly-in, fly-out workforce, was down 6.1 per cent at last year’s election. Labor also went backwards in the Liberal-held seats of Canning and Durack, recording swings against it of 5.5 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectively — all higher than the state swing against Labor of 2.7 per cent.

Mr Gorman, a former staffer to Mr Rudd and now the ALP member for Perth, said voters in the state still raised the former government’s mining tax with him as a concern about Labor.

“I am pleased we have learned the lessons from that,” Mr Gorman said. “The Perth electorate is home to the headquarters of some of Australia’s biggest mining companies. Unlike (Greens leader) Adam Bandt, I don’t need to go on a listening tour; I meet with these businesses regularly.”

The Otis Group was revealed last week as 20 right-wing MPs who are pushing for a stronger voice for blue-collared workers and the resources industry.

The public airing of the group, which had gathered for a single meal in Canberra, infuriated the Opposition Leader who was unaware of its existence despite dining with right-wing MPs at Otis last year.

Opposition resources spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon, who leads the informal group with South Australian right-wing heavyweight Don Farrell, said on Monday that he was determined to ensure Labor would “promote the aspirations of working class people”.

“We will only win if aspirational working-class people know the Labor Party has their back,” Mr Fitzgibbon told Seven Network.

Pro-resources MPs are concerned the Opposition Leader has reverted to similar language to that used by Bill Shorten during the election campaign.

Mr Albanese refused to say he supported the Adani project in a Sky News interview last month and has said he does not want a new coal-fired power station built in Australia.

Australian Workers Union ­national secretary Daniel Walton said workers in heavy industries supported coal-fired power.

Victorian Left senator Kim Carr said Labor needed to take “more care” in talking suppor­tively about traditional industries.

“It is not just a question about resources but it is the broader messaging problems we have had. It needs to focus on ensuring that we are able to articulate a case that we are on the side of working families,” Senator Carr said.