I am an employee of BlueScope. I believe the project will be a significant benefit to the community and the nation. The project will allow continuity of employment and the retention of valuable skills in the workforce. The project will principally supply the local Australian market and will prevent the potential reliance on imported steel. I believe the proposed technology is world class, efficient and best available. Implementation of the project at this time should allow a transition to a hydrogen based technology when available.

From the looks of it, by reclining the blast furnace will create more jobs and also support other businesses directly or indirectly. Bluescope is looking for alternative way to improve the process by reducing the environmental impacts, so it is best to support their cause

Number 6 blast furnace is fundamental to the operation of the Port Kembla steelworks, both in the near term, and in providing a fundamental means to enable the transition of Port Kembla steelworks, and Australian steelmaking more generally, to zero-carbon steelmaking.
This is for a number of reasons. In its first campaign (1996 -2011), number 6 blast furnace operated at high productivity and low fuel rate (meaning relatively low greenhouse intensity), in fact it operated at higher productivity and lower fuel rate than the current number 5 blast furnace has achieved since 2011 - and 5 furnace is no slouch!
In addition, the relined number 6 furnace will have newer technology that will enable innovations crucial to zero steelmaking - like the use of hydrogen - to be tested, optimised, understood & implemented to progress the transition to zero emissions.
If the project were not to go ahead, not only would there be loss of jobs associated with construction, but it is likely that the steelworks would cease to be viable within a short time. This in turn would curtail the ability to transition to zero carbon steelmaking. It would also needlessly see steelmaking operations move offshore to locations whose greenhouse performance is inferior.
It makes more sense to convert Australian iron ore to steel in Australia than anywhere else on the planet. This is true from an economics/comparative advantage point of view, in an Australia that has the worlds cheapest energy and will have the worlds cheapest renewable energy. This is also true in the global context of pursuing zero greenhouse emissions: it makes environmental as well as economic sense.
The development of the Technology is not only about the technology itself, but about the "human capital" that develops it, enables it, implements it and keeps it running.
That takes years to develop, nurture and hand on to a younger generation, in steelmaking processes whose operating lives are measured in decades. As a Metallurgical Engineer who has proudly worked most of his professional life at the Port Kembla plant, and had the privilege of helping commission, and then operate, number 6 furnace I can speak from personal as well as professional experience. The "human capital" aspect also extends to the training and development of younger Engineers who often start as Cadets, and whose presence at the Port Kembla plant ensures the ongoing safe and improving operation of the plant, which secures thousands of jobs in the area. It also serves to underpin the research and Academic capability at the University of Wollongong. All of this would essentially cease if the 6-furnace reline project were not to go ahead.
Lastly I would add that from the point of view of being a crucial step on the path to zero emissions steelmaking, number 6 blast furnace is not only a state significant project, but a nationally significant project.

This project is fantastic for the illawarra. Jobs and a long term future for the steelworks.
We can't see steelmaking capability leave Australia.

Important project for the region, state and country.
Integral to the security of steel manufacture within Australia.

The Blast Furnace reline is important to the steel industry in Australia simply because the Blast Furnace 5 is on it's way out. By the time this second Blast furnace is finished we may have the technology for electric steel making.

Direct employment for at least 10000 direct employees. Ensures that the manufacturing of steel remains within the Australian economy, as well as futureproofing for 'green steel' in the future.

I support the reclining of No.6 Blast Furnace as it is an integral part of the community and has supported the region for a long time

This excellent project will help ensure the sovereignty of Australian manufacturing for decades to come. It is vital to the economy of the Illawarra region and will support 10,000 jobs.

I support this project for a number of reasons.
1. Additional Jobs
2. New technologies towards cleaner steal
3. Domestic production of Steel products is critical to Australia manufacturing