Anthony Albanese hypes up big critical minerals opportunity ahead of showdown on Future Made vision

Anthony Albanese will use a speech to mining leaders to warn the “world will go right past us” if the nation doesn’t seize its critical minerals opportunity, setting the stage for a parliamentary showdown on Labor’s Future Made in Australia agenda. The Prime Minister will also accuse the Opposition of doublespeak on tax production credits, accusing it of dropping its inflammatory “billions for billionaires” rhetoric whenever it visits mines or ports. Mr Albanese will address the Australian Minerals Industry Parliamentary Dinner on Monday night to help kick off Minerals Week in Canberra. The Government’s support for miners has repeatedly been called into question in recent months, with its Nature Positive Plan and, more recently, Tanya Plibersek’s ruling that scuttled Regis Resources $1 billion fuelling angst across the sector. Mr Albanese won’t mention either issue in the speech, focusing instead on Labor’s plan to turbocharge critical minerals processing with its $13.7 billion tax production credits. Pointing to an expected quadrupling in mineral demand globally by 2040, Mr Albanese will argue Australia must act urgently to capitalise on the opportunity. “If we listen to those who spend all their time talking Australia down and saying our companies can’t compete and our workers shouldn’t try,” Mr Albanese will tell the event. “Then the world will go right past us.” The tax production credits are the most expensive component of Labor’s Future Made in Australia plan to rebuild domestic manufacturing. The Government will attempt to pass laws to set up the program’s investment framework during this coming sitting fortnight in Canberra. But it faces an uphill battle, with the Coalition staunchly opposed and the Greens demanding Labor stop new coal and gas projects and redirect a $1.5 billion investment earmarked for an NT industrial precinct into clean energy projects.