My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry and Innovation. How is the Albanese Labor government's delivery of reliable energy driving good blue-collar jobs in regional Australia? What are the threats to this?

Mr CONROY (Shortland—Minister for Pacific Island Affairs and Minister for Defence Industry) (14:40):

I thank the newly-shaven member for Hunter. His passion for jobs in our community is very laudable. We know that our vibrant, world-class industrial sector delivers good jobs for Australians—hundreds of thousands of jobs—and most of them in regional Australia. But the truth is that, without access to cheap and reliable energy, these industries and jobs are under threat. Just ask the workers at Tomago. Rio has been very clear: they haven't been able to secure competitive coal power offers. That's the truth of the matter. But it's a very different situation in Gladstone, where Rio have been able to secure renewable energy agreements. Boyne Island smelter has secured 80 per cent of its electricity needs through new firm renewable projects—the cheapest power available—at prices that will not only keep the smelter open but give the owners the confidence they need to invest.

The bottom line is that, without access to reliable energy now and for years to come, heavy industries like smelters will not have a future. The future is renewables, and the Albanese government recognises this. We're supporting industries to move to renewable energy through the Powering the Regions Fund and the Green Aluminium Production Credit. The Net Zero Fund will invest $5 billion from the NRF on energy efficiency and decarbonising large industrial sites and will also invest in low-emissions manufacturing. The Capacity Investment Scheme is delivering 40 gigawatts of the cheapest generation storage available. The CEFC, which those opposite tried to abolish, has driven renewable energy infrastructure and technology projects nationwide.

The truth is that, at Tomago, we're seeing the consequences of the coalition's decade of energy policy failure—22 failed energy policies, and the workers of Tomago are paying the price.

Ms Ley interjecting—

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting.

Mr CONROY: We've been modernising our electricity grid, and the coalition has opposed us every step of the way. The coalition has campaigned against generational projects across the nation, and in abandoning net zero the National Party has betrayed regional Australia—even though they know regional Australia has the most to gain from taking action on climate. Renewables are creating jobs and new revenue sources across regional Australia. In campaigning against affordable energy, the coalition is campaigning against blue-collar jobs.

We're making sure that we're delivering the cheapest power possible and in turn a world-class, vibrant industrial sector. In contrast, the coalition's chaos and division are making energy more expensive and unreliable and will kill manufacturing stone dead.