GG 09/12
13 February 2012
Canning MHR Don Randall had unwittingly frightened Alcoa employees in WA by suggesting the company’s local operations were similar to those in Victoria, Special Minister of State Gary Gray said today.
“Alcoa’s WA operations extract and mine bauxite and process it into alumina, while the Point Henry smelter in Geelong is a completely different operation producing aluminium and vastly more carbon emissions,” Mr Gray said.
“To suggest that WA operations are similar, and therefore somehow jobs could be affected because of a carbon price, is nonsense.”
Mr Gray, who has extensive experience in the mining sector, said Mr Randall displayed an appalling lack of knowledge in saying on ABC radio yesterday that he worried about jobs in WA and that Alcoa's review in Victoria was proof that Labor should dump the carbon tax.
“Alcoa operates two bauxite mines near Dwellingup and Waroona,” Mr Gray said. “These two mines supply bauxite to Alcoa’s alumina refineries at Kwinana, Pinjarra and Wagerup. The refineries extract alumina from the bauxite. Alumina is both exported overseas and shipped to Alcoa’s aluminium smelters in Victoria.
“Alcoa has been inducted into the Western Australian Export Hall of Fame
after winning the ‘Minerals and Energy Export’ category, at the 2011 WA Industry and Export Awards, for the third time in four years (2008, 2009 and 2011).
Mr Gray said alumina production in WA accounted for around 11 per cent of world demand and 75 cents in every revenue dollar earned by Alcoa stayed in Australia through wages, local purchasing, taxes, capital investment and dividends to Australian shareholders.
“Alcoa’s exports account for around 5 per cent of the state’s exports,” he said.
Aluminium is used in buildings, planes, cars, iPads, computers, mobile phones, DVDs, aluminium foil, cans and much more.
Mr Gray said he was pleased that Peter Chilton of Constellation Capital Management had pointed out that Alcoa's alumina refineries in WA were among the most efficient in the world and unlikely to be at risk. He said smelters used far more power and had a comparatively small carbon footprint.
| Media Contact: | Website: |
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John Arthur - 0408 991 261 |
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From ABC online report yesterday: The Member for Canning, Don Randall, says he is worried about jobs in his electorate and that Alcoa's review in Victoria is proof that Labor should dump the carbon tax.