Sussan Ley refused entry to Tomago Aluminium, says Anthony Albanese playing ‘games’
Sussan Ley has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of playing political “games” after he was refused a pre-planned tour of the struggling Tomago Aluminum smelter.
The Opposition Leader was due to visit the manufacturing facility in Tomago just after 10am on Friday. The visit included meetings with the company’s executives and a tour of the smelter.
NewsWire understands that both were abruptly canceled after Ms Ley’s arrival, although the itinerary had been planned the day before.
Although Ms. Ley eventually met with Tomago Aluminum executives, she was still banned from touring the Rio Tinto-owned smelter.
“I’m very happy to be able to have the meeting,” Ms Ley told reporters in Tomago.
“I don’t think about the Albanian government other than to say that they need to get their act together when it comes to an energy policy that actually works.
“The Albanian government and its supporters can play whatever game they want, and I am not interested in that.
“I am only interested in the workers, the production and the pride we should all have in an aluminum smelter that is the best in the world.”
“It is a worrying sign that businesses are too nervous to have an open conversation about policy for fear of political repercussions,” Ms. Ley’s office told NewsWire in a statement.
The government denied the claim.
Rio Tinto is the majority owner of Tomago Aluminum and is in talks with the Albanian government to save the smelter after a strategy review found no way to keep it open beyond 2028.
“Given that electricity accounts for more than 40 percent of Tomago Aluminum’s current operating costs, finding competitively priced energy remains a key challenge,” the company said in a statement Tuesday.
“Based on market quotes received to date, the cost of both coal-fired and renewable energy options will rise significantly from January 2029, fundamentally changing the operating economics and making the smelter unviable.
“As a result, Tomago Aluminum has reached a point where it must consider ceasing operations at the end of its current electricity supply contract.”
Rio Tinto said “no decision has yet been made on the future of the smelter” and left the door open to public money rescue operations.
NewsWire has reached out to Rio Tinto and Tomago Aluminum for comment.
