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Labor's $1.2 Billion Bet on Rocks: Critical Minerals Reserve Announced

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Labor unveils a plan to stockpile critical minerals, investing $1.2 billion to secure Australia's future. Because hoarding isn't just for doomsday preppers anymore.

Labor’s just invested $1.2 billion into what can only be described as the world’s bougiest rock collection.

The government has announced a national stockpile of critical minerals—lithium, rare earths, and other shiny dirt that makes your smartphone, solar panels, and electric cars function.

It’s like Pokémon, but for trade deals and national security.

Resources Minister Madeleine King said the plan was about “future-proofing,” which sounds noble, but let’s be honest—it’s also about not being held hostage by China every time we need to build a battery.

With global supply chains spicier than a Bunnings sausage, Australia has finally decided it might be nice to keep a few treasures in its own backyard for once.

The real kicker?

These minerals have been dug up here for decades, then shipped offshore faster than you can say “value add.” Now, the government’s realised that maybe, just maybe, hoarding isn’t just for weirdos with panic bunkers—it’s a strategic flex.

Zooming out, this move plants Australia squarely in the “we actually read the geopolitical room” camp.

While other countries are scrambling for resources like kids at a lolly scramble, we’re quietly tucking ours into a national vault and watching the global chaos unfold.

Latest update?

No official storage site announced yet, but you can bet some outback patch is about to become the Fort Knox of shiny Aussie rocks.

Sources: Guardian Australia – “Labor announces $1.2bn reserve for critical minerals” (24 Apr 2025) ABC News – “Government to stockpile minerals for national security” (24 Apr 2025)

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