Transcript: Interview with Rory McClaren, ABC Radio Adelaide - 20 February 2025

TRANSCRIPT

Interview with Rory McClaren, ABC Radio Adelaide

20 February 2025

Topics: Whyalla steelworks

E&OE…………………………………

RORY MCCLAREN: Joining me now is Anne Ruston, she's a Liberal Senator for South Australia. Good morning to you, Anne Ruston.

SENATOR ANNE RUSTON: Good morning, Rory.

MCCLAREN: Anne Ruston, will the Coalition support this package which will be announced today by the Prime Minister?

RUSTON: Well, obviously, what we want to see is certainty for the people of Whyalla and particularly those people that work at the steelworks. But we still need to see the details of the package. It's not clear as yet what the conditions or the requirements on the Commonwealth will be of that package and there's a lot of questions still to be answered as your previous guest alluded to, so I'm looking forward to seeing that package. But in the meantime, our focus is obviously very much on making sure that there is certainty to Whyalla, but also we need to make sure that the issue of sovereign capability for steel manufacture in Australia is underpinned because it is so important for our country.

MCCLAREN: But broadly, Anne Ruston, does the Coalition agree there needs to be intervention in the steelworks and the mines at this point in time?

RUSTON: Well, we welcome the fact that the intervention has provided at last some certainty for the people of Whyalla who have been living with a level of uncertainty for way too long. Hopefully this gives them some sense that there is going to be some action taken and their futures will be secured one way or the other. There are just so many unanswered questions out there, but we just want to reassure the people of Whyalla that we will work in a co-operative and bipartisan way with both of the governments to make sure that their futures are the utmost priority in the considerations going forward.

MCCLAREN: Do you agree that the steelworks needs to remain a viable operation?

RUSTON: I absolutely believe that Australia must maintain sovereign capability in steel manufacture. Right now, Whyalla is obviously the centrepiece of Australia's steel manufacturing industry, and so it's absolutely essential. It's one of the most important industries that we must maintain in Australia. So, the Coalition is absolutely supportive of the continued manufacture of steel onshore.

MCCLAREN: What briefings has the Coalition been receiving with regards to the state of the plant there in Whyalla? Has the Coalition been doing its own investigations or has the Coalition been provided with any information with regards to how the steelworks has been operating in recent months?

RUSTON: I actually visited Whyalla only a couple of weeks ago with the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Sussan Ley, who's also the Shadow Industry Minister, and we had a substantial briefing with the steelworks to understand what the status was at the time. But to date we haven't been offered a briefing from the Federal or the State Government, but obviously that'll be something that we will be seeking very, very shortly to understand. Obviously, the most important thing last night was to make sure that the people of Whyalla understood what was on the table before them. But of course, over coming days we would expect the Government to be transparent. Clearly they want our support, but we are calling for absolute transparency so that everybody can see what's going on and everybody can understand what is involved in the package of support that they're putting on the table and what that actually means to the people of Whyalla, the people of South Australia and what it means for the ongoing manufacture of steel in Australia.

MCCLAREN: It's 9:21 here on 891 ABC Radio Adelaide Mornings with me, Rory McClaren. My guest is Anne Ruston, she is a Liberal Senator for South Australia. Senator Ruston, do you agree that it was the right decision to put the steelworks and the mines into administration?

RUSTON: Well, clearly there was a need for some action given the amount of debts that were outstanding that hadn't been paid. Now I don't know the full details behind what has actually transpired over the last couple of days and so I'm not going to make specific comments about it until I do know. But we do absolutely support making sure that the people of Whyalla have got some clarity and certainty about their future. And if administration was what was needed, then of course we support that action. But I just want to be really clear, I do not have all of the facts before me and once I do have all the facts, I'll be in a much better position to be clearer and more definitive about my answer. But there is nothing more certain in my mind than we just need to make sure that we understand what the people of Whyalla are going through at the moment.

MCCLAREN: And Anne Ruston - Liberal Senator for South Australia - are you planning to head back to Whyalla sometime soon and are you expecting your leader, Peter Dutton, to head to Whyalla sometime soon?

RUSTON: Well, I certainly know Peter Dutton's heading to South Australia in the next 24 hours and will be seeking briefings around what's actually happening in Whyalla. The state leader is in Whyalla as we speak, Vincent Tarzia. He's up there with our candidate Tom Venning and making sure that they're lending support to the community. But certainly, I will be absolutely seeking briefings from the State Government and from the Federal Government to make sure that we are fully aware of what is going on because, as I say, we want to offer a bipartisan solution to make sure that this problem is solved. But we can't do that unless we've got all the information.

MCCLAREN: Anne Ruston, Liberal Senator for South Australia and Shadow Minister for Health, thank you very much for your time this morning.
RUSTON: My pleasure. Thanks, Rory.

ENDS