Australia must “back BHP” after China reportedly banned iron ore shipments from the country’s biggest miner, an Opposition frontbencher says.

Bloomberg reported this week that the Chinese state-run entity that buys iron ore froze BHP shipments after pricing negotiations stalled.

BHP has refused to confirm or deny the stand-off, but both the Albanese government and the Coalition have expressed their concern.

Opposition finance spokesman James Paterson on Thursday called for the government to get involved.

“Iron ore is obviously Australia’s largest export and one of the single biggest contributors to the federal budget bottom line,” he told Sky News.

“Nothing is more important, in fact, for a surplus and deficit in some financial years than the iron ore price, and so if our Chinese part

See Full Page