The Albanese and Rockliff governments have stepped in to support workers at Liberty Bell Bay, jointly providing a $3 million loan to help protect jobs while the facility undergoes an expedited sale process.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Premier Jeremy Rockliff, and Minister for Industry and Innovation Tim Ayres announced the support package on Friday, confirming that administrators EY have accepted the joint offer on a 50:50 funding basis.
Albanese said the intervention was focused on protecting jobs and supporting the region through a difficult period.
“We’re backing the workers, their families and the community through this sale process because this facility and these jobs matter.”
The loan is designed to maintain operations and keep the workforce in place at the Bell Bay facility, which is currently under administration. Officials said the measure would provide greater certainty for workers and improve the chances of a successful and faster sale to a new owner.
Liberty Bell Bay is Australia’s only domestic producer of manganese alloy, a key input in steelmaking used across defence, construction and mining sectors.
The support package follows earlier assistance from the Tasmanian Government, which provided a $20 million loan to purchase ore in an attempt to restart operations after commitments from former owner GFG.
Despite those commitments, the facility remained in limited operation before entering administration.
The Commonwealth and Tasmanian governments said they would continue working together to support workers, safeguard Australia’s industrial capability, and secure a viable long-term future for the plant and the broader Bell Bay community.
Rockliff said both levels of government had acted to protect sovereign manufacturing capability and support local workers and businesses.
“This is about being in the corner of workers, their families and impacted small businesses,” he said, adding that the facility plays a critical role in northern Tasmania’s economy.
Ayres described the funding as positive for the Bell Bay community but said further work remained.
He said the priority was to secure a successful sale and bring in a new operator to continue the facility’s role in Australia’s steel supply chain.
Authorities said they would continue to work closely with workers, unions, local suppliers and the administrator throughout the sale process.
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