Nickel miners thrown 'sovereign' lifeline

The darkening outlook for one of Australia's cornerstone future "green energy technology" commodities - and a major source of jobs and incomes in the west - came as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared Labor was planning a "think big" multibillion-dollar industry scheme akin to Joe Biden's $624 billion IRA behemoth. To become a renewable energy superpower, "the government has to be a partner in this, not just an observer", Mr Albanese told an audience late on Friday in Newcastle, where the local coal industry is set to become a big loser in the transition. Triggered by BHP's decision this week…