PETER GUNDERS: Federal Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, says uncertainty about the Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville refinery is at the forefront of the government's mind. Minister Madeleine King is in Cloncurry this week for a major mining conference, where Industry discussed the state and Federal Government's negotiations with mining giant Glencore over financial bridging support to keep both the smelter and the refinery operational until 2030. She spoke with Abbey Halter.

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: And I want to be clear that you can feel the concern in the community when, you know, I'm here in Mount Isa and in Cloncurry. And my colleague, the Minister for Industry, Tim Ayres, has been here as well and held meetings with the owner of the smelter, but also, of course, with the community. And the local member, Bob Katter, as well, has been fighting the Keep Our Copper fight for some time. So, I really do appreciate the depth of feeling and having seen how just prominent physically the smelter is in the community, Mount Isa, let alone how that reaches into the community and supports it. I do understand the concern. And when people don't know what the future holds in this moment, like, it's really, really worrying. And, we don't have answers right now. The answer I do have is that the state government and the Federal Government is working together, hand in glove with Glencore, to come up with a plan to keep this smelter going. Because it's really important to keep it going while a number of the new copper mines come on board. But these smelters are owned and operated by private companies. The Prime Minister himself has said before, you know, Glencore has got a lot out of Australia and it's probably time that Glencore have a think about what they can contribute to the local community and to the country more widely to keep this smelter going. And there's been some very frank and very hard discussions with Glencore about that because obviously they've got interest in a number of other mines in New South Wales and Queensland. We want them to prosper as well. But we do need this copper smelting capability to continue.

ABBEY HALTER: We've already had the copper production close and the North West feels quite like it's idling right now. You know, no one's investing in businesses or buying houses until there is a decision in the smelter. So, when will we know? Will it be by the end of the month? When will we know?

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: I can't put a deadline on that. I know there's a lot of activity happening you know, right today. And there has been for some time, as I suppose many people know. So, I know what I'm saying is not helping make this clear, but we do have to let a process take its course while the governments work together to develop a package. And then Glencore has to consider that, and that will be happening. I'm not going to preempt any announcements or any decisions. And I get the uncertainty around the housing, as you say. I do note there's other investments in other areas. They don't replace the smelter, though. There's no doubt about it. There are many hundreds of workers at that smelter. And those jobs are really important and we're doing our utmost to make sure they're protected.

ABBEY HALTER: Do you accept that people in the region are losing confidence in both Glencore and state and Federal Governments while they sit and wait for a decision, and these talks continue on and on?

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: I accept that people are uncertain and that makes them nervous, and I totally understand that. I'm from a town called Kwinana. You know, I lost the Nickel West refinery a couple of years ago, and that caused a great deal of uncertainty in my community. So, it's not the same as this, but the feeling's very similar. But what I can reassure the community is that we are in very active and constructive discussions with Glencore. And, you know, these smelters were built many years ago with old technology. Companies and, you know, other companies right around the country sometimes haven't invested, as perhaps they should have, in these smelters, to keep them modern and keep them up to date. And I think that's a crying shame, and I think it's a deep regret that governments before us haven't held them to account. But nonetheless, we are in this situation right now, and this Federal Government and the state, Queensland government is working really hard to do all that we can to make sure the people and the communities of Mount Isa and the communities that stretch far from that continue to have a prosperous future.

PETER GUNDERS: Madeleine King there in Cloncurry, speaking with Abbey Halter.