Newsroom

October 8, 2025

News that the Mount Isa Copper Smelter and Townsville Refinery will remain operating is good news, but the hard work is still to come, the Member for Traeger and Leader of the Katter’s Australian Party (KAP), Robbie Katter has said from his home city of Mount Isa.

“This is a start and it’s at least reassuring us that our critical sovereign capability needs to be preserved,” Mr Katter said.

“Let’s be clear – we’re only at half time. There’s no champagne and celebrations at half time, just a rev up from the coach to go out and finish the job in the premiership half.

“North Queensland, from Townsville to Mount Isa, and indeed Australian industry need confidence that we will keep the ability to make things ourselves and not be beholden to overseas interests.

“The Federal government in particular have recognised the strategic importance of keeping the smelter operating, and we need them to remain at the negotiating table to reform the smelter operations, not just continually save it and leaving it in the hands of the one owner,” the KAP leader said.

The negotiations to keep 17,000 jobs across the region came after Glencore announced the closure of the Mount Isa Copper Mine in 2023, despite copper being touted as ‘the new oil’ with the loss of 1,200 Mount Isa jobs.

“Both levels of government can surely now see that Glencore are not operating in Australia for Australia’s best interest – they are only in it for their shareholders and the global commodity trading board in Switzerland,” Mr Katter said.

“The Premier has said that he and his government will ‘not rule anything out’ when it comes to keeping Queensland’s copper manufacturing capacity – well now is the time to step up and ensure we keep that into the future, well past 2-3 years.

“There are real solutions, including equity share structures that Glencore have publicly stated they would be open to, available to secure the long-term capability and provide confidence to all miners in the resource rich North West Minerals Province – we just need all levels of government to have some aspiration for our nation and our state.

“With dollars now on the line, I’m heartened to see the Federal and State governments are beginning to see the opportunity in the North West Minerals Province; now is the time to make sure that’s money well spent - to set up for the future, not get ready for the next round of bail out negotiations with a commodity trader who is un-Australian as they come,” the Member for Traeger said.