bill reckons we are going to build batteries here, page-10

Why obsession with batteries?

Well, the large % of current world supply of battery raw materials are mined right here.
Then sent to China to be converted into battery chemicals and made into batteries. Or sent to Germany, Japan, S Korea, etc and made into batteries.
Then we buy them back with many multiples of added value through processing and manufacturing.

The industry is expected to have massive growth and worth $100s of billions over the next decade.

Frankly speaking:
If our governments weren't bit light in the head and only promising investment to win few votes, only to forget about it 5 min later. We'd already have bunch of chemical conversion plants here instead of China and batteries made by Australian brand here instead of German, Japanese, S Korean, USA companies like Sonnen, Panasonic, LG Chem, etc. Employing people in their respective countries.
All the while we get few dollars out of 100 for digging up dirt....

There is plenty you can sink your teeth when attacking Shorten, but this would be fantastic for Australia (if they actually do invest in the industry and not go quiet after getting elected, like Libs did after similar promises)

Cheers