Whyalla Steelworks

No, I thank you, Speaker.

The Albanese government understands the serious operational challenges faced by administrators who've been working hard to restore operations of the blast furnace at Whyalla steelworks.

The administrator, Cortiminta, announced that efforts to restart the blast furnace over recent months have been unsuccessful, and that's really awful news for the community and anyone passionate about steel-making.

The truth is that years of failure to invest in the steelworks by the previous owner-

I'm going to be very frank with the chamber.

Chief Government Whip.

The Gupta Group had a responsibility to the workers of Whyalla steelworks and failed them.

This is entirely Gupta's fault and a lack of maintenance under his ownership.

Thanks for dropping by.

Regarding, uh, [laughs] the Transport Minister, Catherine King, Leroy says, "Another politician who can't keep her nose out of the trough." And regarding the Whyalla Steel Works, Bill says, "Hello, Graham.

Whyalla Steel Works is in desperation.

While no government wants to argue the possibility and viability of nuclear as a means of delivering a reliable power source, the government's pour in over two billion dollars without any success and ultimately have had to close it.

A small portable nuclear reactor and complementary infrastructure would have guaranteed the steelworks' future.

We can store the world's nuclear waste and make an awful lot of money, but, uh, but no, not going to happen.

Uh, Morning Graham, what a lot of...

From Tom, re: Whyalla Steel Works.

National.It was old, decrepit, and clapped out.

But news this week that the coal-fired blast furnace at the Whyalla Steel Works will be finally shuttered has nevertheless shocked the town and its workers.

600 jobs will go immediately, about a third of the workforce at the mills, and that raises further anxiety about the future of the troubled plant, which was sold to PUP by former owner Sanjeev Gupta, and placed into administration by the South Australian government 19 months ago.

Efforts by the state and federal governments to complete the sale of the steelworks continues with two potential buyers now finally in the mix.

We can't talk about anything that's happening, but everything's fine.

So that's what really made me think, "Okay, there's something going on here."

Larissa, where does this leave the Whyalla Steel Works now? I- is a steelworks without a blast furnace still a steelworks?

steelworks?Well, essentially all we are now is a rolling mill.

[upbeat music] Yeah, and they ain't doing very well, are they, the political academics? We seem to be lurching from issue to issue to issue.

Uh, Whyalla Steel Works first and foremost.

Now, they'll deflect on that and say, "Oh, it wasn't our fault, it was the Indian bloke who let it run down." Uh, but, uh, this, just you'd call it mismanagement all round.

Uh, for a number...

I mean, it just didn't happen yesterday.

It's been ongoing for more than a year.

Whyalla Steel Works issues, plenty of them.

Extremely quickly, but they tend to, don't they? So, uh, lovely to have your company.

Malarndirri McCarthy says the comments are outrageous and racist.

Hundreds of workers at Whyalla Steel Works in South Australia will lose their jobs following a decision to permanently shut down the facility's aging blast furnace.

The administrator says forced redundancies are unavoidable.

A ten-point-two million dollar support package jointly funded by the state and federal governments will help affected workers reskill.

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Plus, the Whyalla steelworks to close with the loss of 600 jobs, and why Tesla owners might pay less for car insurance.

It is Tuesday the 15th of September 2026.

I'm Michael Thompson, and good morning, Shaun Aylmer.

This is a, a very sad, sad situation, and our hearts go out to everyone involved, and we hope that we can get to the bottom of what's gone on here as soon as possible.

It's officially the end of the line for the blast furnace at South Australia's Whyalla Steel Works.

Up to six hundred workers will be directly impacted by its closure.

Premier Peter Malinauskas has announced a ten million dollar state and federal government support package.

Whyalla closure exposes Australia's strategic steel challenge.

Administrators have permanently closed the blast furnace at Whyalla steelworks in South Australia, cutting more than five hundred direct jobs and ending Australia's domestic production of rail steel.

Reduced operations will continue using imported steel feedstock while administrators seek a new owner, as Commonwealth and South Australian governments pursue plans to rebuild the site around lower emissions electric arc steelmaking.

The closure matters beyond Whyalla because rail and structural steel underpin major infrastructure and industrial supply chains.