Federal Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King has expressed disappointment over Alcoa’s decision to fully curtail production at the Kwinana Alumina Refinery by the end of the second quarter of 2024.
Minister King, who is also the local Federal Member for Brand which includes the City of Kwinana and the Kwinana Alumina Refinery, emphasised the significance of the decision and said the curtailment of the refinery – which has been in production since the 1960s – will undoubtedly have a ripple effect on the community.
“As the local member representing many of the workers at Alcoa Kwinana, I am extremely disappointed and my thoughts are with those workers and their families as they are the people most severely affected by this decision,” Minister King said.
“We understand that Alcoa is faced with difficult considerations, including the age of the facility, a constrained location and challenging market conditions, however, the closure of such a longstanding operation is disheartening for everyone involved.
“Kwinana has been home to the alumina refinery for 60 years and has been a significant part of the local community.
“I expect that Alcoa will do everything it can to ensure workers affected and their families receive all the support they need during this difficult time, and I will hold them to account on this.
“I want to acknowledge the work of the WA State Government in ensuring there are measures to assist affected workers during this challenging time, including through the Rockingham Jobs and Skills Centre and South Metropolitan TAFE,” Minister King said.
“As the Australian Minister for Resources, it is also very disappointing to see a minerals refinery cease production.
“However, it is important to note that this decision by Alcoa does not affect Australia’s or Western Australia’s sovereign capacity in alumina production, as Alcoa will continue operations at both the Wagerup and Pinjarra refineries.
“I have been assured by Alcoa that the curtailment of production at the Kwinana refinery will not affect the broader supply chain of alumina, which is essential for our future transition towards net zero emissions.
“The Australian Government has classified High Purity Alumina as a critical mineral and aluminium as a strategic material.”
