Whyalla Steelworks

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:52): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, representing the Minister for Energy and Mining in the other place, a question about the Whyalla Steelworks.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Perhaps for the first time in his two-and-a-bit-years premiership, the Premier has a crisis of national proportions on his hands. As revealed yesterday, the future of the Whyalla Steelworks again appears to be under threat. Contractors are owed more than $100 million. A global laboratory testing company has stopped undertaking quality control testing of the iron ore for SIMEC and onsite testing for GFG due to not being paid since March. About 50 white-collar workers have been stood down and workers have been forced to bring their own toilet paper from home as it is not being provided. Just this morning, I have been told that the steelwork's arc furnace is about to be shut down again for another six months—the reasons unknown.

Whyalla relies heavily on the steelworks. It's the town's biggest single employer and many other businesses survive by supplying to it. Without it, Whyalla is at grave risk. So, too, is one of the Premier's biggest election promises, the overhyped world-first green hydrogen power plant proposed for Whyalla, because without the steelworks there won't be any need for the hydrogen plant to service it. My questions to the minister are:

1. Given the urgency of the matter, and knowing how much the Premier doesn't like criticism of himself and his government, will he and the minister demand an urgent meeting with Mr Gupta and his senior executives?

2. When will the Premier and the minister travel to Whyalla to meet with locals and give a guarantee that, despite what might happen to Sanjeev Gupta and his trouble-plagued global empire, the future of the steelworks is guaranteed?

3. Considering it can't pay its biggest bills, will the government now investigate whether GFG is solvent?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:54): I will refer the honourable member's question to the relevant minister in the other place and bring back a response.