Voices of BlueScope

Kaitlyn McMahon, a fourth-year apprentice with Zeal Futures and BlueScope, shares her experience of working in a non-traditional trade role, along with extracurricular opportunities that she has pursued in mentorship and public speaking.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 0:00
2. Path to Apprenticeship: 1:14
3. Working with BlueScope and Zeal Futures: 5:35
4. Further Opportunities: 9:14
5. Conclusion: 13:22

Links

• Read a transcript of the episode.
• BlueScope in the Illawarra
• Zeal Futures
• Puffing Billy Railway
• Dandenong Ranges
• Uluru
• NAEN Conference
• Watch Faces of BlueScope with Kaitlyn McMahon (with interview highlights) on TVBlueScope.
• Browse a complementary album of portraits in our Flickr archive.
• Learn more about coke-making in our TVBlueScope videos on quench stacks, situational awareness and plastic trials.

Connect with Us

• Website
• LinkedIn
• TVBlueScope
• Flickr
• Facebook
• Instagram

Credits

• Recorded by Tim Robinson
• Edited by Martin Feld

Robin Davies, the new Chief Executive Australia and New Zealand at BlueScope, joins the podcast to discuss his personal background, working history and what excites him about his expanded role across both countries.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 00:00
2. Family Farm and Early Steel Experience: 00:50
3. Joining New Zealand Steel: 04:43
4. Shifting to North Star: 10:28
5. Leadership Roles: 14:31
6. Conclusion: 21:01

Links

• Read a transcript of the episode.
• British Steel
• Corus
• Hoogovens
• New Zealand Steel
  • Podcast episode no. 55 about the 60th anniversary in 2025
  • Flickr album for the 60th anniversary
  • 60 Years Strong — Defining Moments (video)
  • 60 Years Strong — Our People (video)
  • 60 Years Strong — Community (video)
  • FocusOn Iron-sands at Waikato North Head, Aotearoa New Zealand (video)
  • Electric Arc Furnace Update: Tania Archibald and Robin Davies at New Zealand Steel (video)
• Pacific Steel
• North Star BlueScope Steel
  • Celebratory video for the 30th anniversary on LinkedIn

Connect with Us

• Website
• LinkedIn
• TVBlueScope
• Flickr
• Facebook
• Instagram

Credits

• Recorded and edited by Martin Feld

BlueScope Company Historian Craig Nealon is joined by Walter Suber OAM to discuss his recognition with a Medal of the Order of Australia, which he received for his long-term contribution to Australian manufacturing, collaboration with education and government institutions and the Slovenian community.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 0:00
2. Starting in Steel: 1:01
3. Research, Distribution and Product Development: 3:28
4. Supporting Australian Manufacturing: 8:47
5. Recognition for Work in Community and Industry: 9:52
6. Conclusion: 14:53

Links

• Read a transcript of the episode.
• Watch video highlights of the interview on TVBlueScope.
• The Order of Australia
• Lysaght history
• Explore our Central Laboratory in Port Kembla in a TVBlueScope video.
• Browse the audio archive of Voices of Slovenian Australians Sydney at 893fm, presented by Walter Suber and Tania Smrdel, which is a weekly celebration of heritage, a sharing of stories, and a journey through the heart of Slovenian life in Australia.
• NASH = National Association of Steel-framed Housing

Connect with Us

• Website
• LinkedIn
• TVBlueScope
• Flickr

Credits

• Interview by Craig Nealon
• Recording and editing by Martin Feld

In 2025, Mark Vassella announced his retirement after eight years as global Managing Director & CEO. Throughout this interview, he reflects on his career, family history and the contribution of teams across the globe.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 0:00
2. Destiny: 0:54
3. Pragmatism: 9:01
4. Full Circle: 17:53
5. Mirror Image: 26:25
6. The Bigger Picture: 35:41
7. A Bit Terrified: 43:56
8. Making Something: 48:52
9. Conclusion: 59:21

Links

• Read a transcript of the episode.
• Watch video highlights of the interview.
• Lithgow
• Kandos
• Newcastle Steelworks
• Dog watch
• Bloom-caster
• North Star
• Palmer Tube Mills and Tubemakers
• Australian National Industries
• Smorgon Steel
• OneSteel
• IMSA Steel
• BlueScope Buildings
• Steelscape
• Major project updates
• Hot Strip Mill in Western Port
• ASEAN
• China
• New Zealand Steel
• worldsteel photos
• ResponsibleSteel™ certification in Port Kembla, Western Port and Phú Mỹ
• NeoSmelt
• National Press Club address
• Tania Archibald
• Sam Charmand and Michael Yiend
• COLORBOND® steel | 60 Years | Made by Australia

Connect with Us

• Website
• LinkedIn
• TVBlueScope
• Flickr

Credits

• Interview and editing by Martin Feld
• Recording by Craig Nealon and Tim Robinson

Craig Nealon (Company Historian at BlueScope) interviews our former Chief Executive of Australian Steel Products, John Nowlan. In November 2025, John became BlueScope's first ever non-independent, non-executive director, bringing his decades of experience in global steel-making and company management to the board. Together, they reflect on his career in Australia and overseas, what it meant for BlueScope to forge its own path after leaving BHP and the powerful contributions of people on the ground, who have worked tirelessly through the ups and downs of a cyclical industry.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 0:00
2. Family Study and Early Career: 01:23
3. Managing People and Processes around the World: 14:26
4. Returning to Australia and the Birth of BlueScope: 25:43
5. Difficult Decisions for the Long Term: 33:44
6. Resurrection and Rejuvenation: 42:56
7. What Really Works?: 49:09
8. Final Reflections: 54:07
9. Conclusion: 1:00:51

Links

• Read the University of Wollongong's LinkedIn post about John and his degree in mechanical engineering, which was shared to coincide with the institution's 50th anniversary.
• Get a feel for the cadetship program at our Port Kembla Steelworks in our FocusOn story (2025) and cadet networking video (2024) on TVBlueScope.
• 'HSC' stands for 'Higher School Certificate', which is the secondary school credential in the Australian state of New South Wales.
• Watch videos of Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS), the Hot Strip Mill, operators and engineers at No. 5 Blast Furnace and the No. 6 Blast Furnace reline project on TVBlueScope.
• Learn more about North Star and its expansion project in episode 18 of the podcast and in a video on TVBlueScope.
• Browse photos of BlueScope's early days as an independent company in this dedicated Flickr album, which includes the photo that Craig mentions of John ringing the bell.

Connect with Us

• Website
• LinkedIn
• TVBlueScope on YouTube

Credits

• Interview by Craig Nealon
• Recorded and edited by Martin Feld

Auto-transcript on Apple Podcasts, edited PDF coming soon

In this episode, Craig Nealon (BlueScope Company Historian) speaks with former iron-maker Jerry Platt, who, in 1996, was recognised for his work with the honour of lighting Port Kembla's then-brand-new No. 6 Blast Furnace for the first time. Although retired, Jerry maintains a keen interest in the industry and now jointly runs a popular Facebook group, Iron & Steel in Australia, which includes numerous historical accounts and images. Sitting together for a conversation in Western Port, Victoria, he reflects with Craig on his own journey to the Port Kembla Steelworks and the various industrial, technological, social and intercultural changes that have occurred over the decades.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 0:00
2. Becoming a Metallurgist: 2:03
3. Moving from Newcastle to Port Kembla: 6:09
4. Recording History and Remembering Blast Furnaces: 12:36
5. Ladles, Locos and Facebook: 29:27
6. People and Processes: 37:57
7. Conclusion: 42:53

Links

• Read a transcript of the episode.
• Browse a Flickr album of photos that show the lighting of No. 6 Blast Furnace, Newcastle Steelworks from above and Craig and Jerry together on the day of the interview.
• Iron & Steel in Australia group on Facebook
• Ferromanganese
• United Steel
• Australia House
• The book to which they refer is Ironmaking in Australia 1848–1914 (J.L.N. Southern and J.E.A. Platt, 1986).
• Staff at the Lithgow Ironworks in 1909
• History of Lysaght
• Mini mill
• Comsteel
• Videos of Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS), the Hot Strip Mill and the No. 6 Blast Furnace reline project on TVBlueScope

Connect with Us

• Website
• LinkedIn
• TVBlueScope on YouTube

Credits

• Interview by Craig Nealon
• Recorded and edited by Martin Feld

In this episode, we’re featuring an audio-only version of a speech that Mark Vassella, BlueScope’s Managing Director and CEO, made at the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra on the 8th of October, 2025, in which he explained how gas plays a unique and essential role in both manufacturing and the energy transition. Mark’s address to an audience of key influencers and decision-makers across media, government and academia was also broadcast live on ABC TV and was delivered on behalf of Manufacturing Australia, a member group that represents 12 of Australia's manufacturers, all of which work with governments to support the nation's manufacturing sector.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 0:00
2. Mark Vassella's Speech: 1:04
3. Conclusion: 27:31

Links

• Read a transcript of the episode.
• Meet Mark Vassella, Managing Director and CEO of BlueScope.
• Learn more about Acknowledgements of and Welcomes to Country.
• Learn more about the Ngunnawal People, who are the Traditional Custodians of the Australian Capital Territory and region.
• National Press Club of Australia
• Fair Gas Prices website by Manufacturing Australia
• Further information about gas on the BlueScope website
• 'BlueScope leads international steel consortium to review options for Whyalla Steelworks'
• COLORBOND® steel
• TRUECORE® steel
• Watch the full speech on TVBlueScope.
• Watch an event recap video on TVBlueScope.
• Browse a dedicated photo album of the event on Flickr.

Connect with Us

• Website
• LinkedIn
• TVBlueScope on YouTube

Credits

• Edited by Martin Feld

On Friday, 29 August 2025, we were excited to host the team from 97.3 ABC Illawarra for a live broadcast of their breakfast-radio show at the front of the Hot Strip Mill at our Port Kembla Steelworks in Australia. The special event was planned to coincide with the 70th anniversary celebration of the Hot Strip Mill, including dedicated interviews with leaders and current and former employees of BlueScope, while also providing a platform for members of the local community to share their memories and family stories linked to the steelworks.

This edited episode includes the full series of interviews and listener contributions from the live breakfast-radio show, all of which has been adapted specifically for the podcast experience.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 0:00
2. Welcome to ABC Illawarra Breakfast with Mel James: 1:45
3. Greg Baldock on the Hot Strip Mill: 3:26
4. Grant Neilsen on Generations of Steelmakers: 13:33
5. Craig Nealon on 100 Years of Iron- and Steelmaking in Port Kembla: 18:09
6. Listener Stories: 30:00
7. Poppy, Russell and Terry Pollock on Being a Steel Family: 31:10
8. Tony Donnelly inside the Hot Strip Mill: 38:07
9. Listener Stories: 44:35
10. Tania Archibald on BlueScope Now and in the Future: 51:22
11. Shannon Ballard on the Plate Mill Upgrade: 1:05:40
12. Michael Yiend on the Port Kembla Land Transformation: 1:11:15
13. Listener Stories: 1:21:18
14. Rebecca Shaw on Quality Control: 1:23:12
15. Listener Stories: 1:25:57
16. Justin Reed on the No. 6 Blast Furnace Reline Project: 1:26:42
17. Nikki McCarthy-Hicks on Tours with Inside Industry: 1:32:06
18. Final Listener Stories and Breakfast Outro: 1:36:29
19. Conclusion: 1:38:14

Links

• 97.3 FM Illawarra on ABC Listen
• FocusOn Hot Strip Mill video on TVBlueScope
• Photos of the opening of the Hot Strip Mill in 1955
• Photos of the live radio broadcast and 70th anniversary celebration in 2025
• Exploring Lindenfels and Port Kembla History with Craig Nealon (WIN News) on TVBlueScope
• Focus On video and accompanying photos of Poppy Pollock and her fellow UOW engineering cadets
• Tania's first interview on the podcast in episode 35 (plus a video excerpt)
• Plate Mill Modernisation Announcement in Port Kembla, NSW on TVBlueScope
• Microsite for the Port Kembla land transformation and rezoning proposal video on TVBlueScope
• No. 6 Blast Furnace Reline Updates on TVBlueScope
• Inside Industry

Connect with Us

• Website
• LinkedIn
• TVBlueScope on YouTube

Credits

• Produced and presented by the ABC Illawarra Breakfast team, including Mel James, Jen Courtney, Amy Duggan, Rory McDonald, Nick McLaren and Peter Riley
• Interviews organised by Tim Robinson
• Edited by Martin Feld

Auto-transcript on Apple Podcasts, edited PDF coming soon

We're pleased to feature one-on-one interviews with two key stakeholders who have long collaborated with and provided expert guidance to New Zealand Steel on Māori culture, history, local community and sustainability. They are Piki Jakeman (Cultural Adviser to New Zealand Steel) and Riki Minhinnick (Chief of Ngāti Te Ata), and both generously share their personal stories and explain how they've worked with the company to encourage employment opportunities, enhance intercultural understanding through open dialogue and jointly learn from and improve on a challenging history of Western colonialism.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 0:00
2. Piki Jakeman: 1:50
3. Riki Minhinnick: 17:39
4. Conclusion: 51:02

Links

• Read a transcript of the episode, which includes te reo Māori definitions.
• Māori People (Te Ara  encyclopaedia listing by Manatū Tonga | NZ Ministry for Culture & Heritage)
• Learn about Ngāti Te Ata at Te Puni Kōkiri and in Te Ara.
• Iwi
• Waiuku and its meaning and history
• Maioro
• Marae
• Te Ara Rangitahi
• Tuwhera
• Manukau Harbour
• Huakina Development Trust
• Waikato River
• Resource Management Act 1991
• Watch a FocusOn video on TVBlueScope about ironsand operations in Waikato North Head.
• Sustainability Snapshot by New Zealand Steel
• Sustainability reporting suite by BlueScope
• Browse a Flickr album of our participants and the surrounding area.

Ethical Note

The conversations were recorded in February 2023 in Waiuku and published in August 2025 after an ethical review with participants. Such a review is known as the collaborative podcasting process and was pioneered by Day et al. (2017) in their study, The Expanding Digital Media Landscape of Qualitative and Decolonizing Research: Examining Collaborative Podcasting as a Research Method (key diagram on p. 209). All episodes are subject to the same process; however, in the case of such personal and historically significant First Nations accounts, it is important to highlight here.

Connect with Us

• Corporate website
• LinkedIn page
• TVBlueScope on YouTube

Credits

• Edited by Martin Feld
• Interviews organised by Vicki Woodley and recorded in Waiuku by Craig Nealon and Tim Robinson

On Saturday, 26 July 2025, New Zealand Steel celebrated its 60th anniversary! Vicki Woodley (External Affairs Manager) joins the podcast to discuss this significant milestone in a dedicated interview.

Chapters

1. Introduction: 0:00
2. Meet Vicki: 1:00
3. A Unique Manufacturing Process: 7:00
4. External Affairs and Community Engagement: 10:56
5. Job Opportunities and Leaders over Time: 18:04
6. Commemoration and the Future: 24:36
7. Personal Reflections: 29:52
8. Conclusion: 33:45

Links

• Read a transcript of the episode.
• Waiuku meaning and history
• Glenbrook, New Zealand
• The History of Ironsand (with further information about titanomagnetite)
• Māori People (Te Ara  encyclopaedia listing by Manatū Tonga | NZ Ministry for Culture & Heritage)
• Iwi
• Maioro
• Information about Ngāti Te Ata from Te Puni Kōkiri and in Te Ara
• Marae (meeting grounds)
• True Grit (listing in the National Library of New Zealand)
• Waiuku sculptures by Fred Graham
• 60 Years Strong video by New Zealand Steel on LinkedIn
• Here is a list of related TVBlueScope videos on YouTube, which show manufacturing processes that are mentioned on the podcast, along with our people at sites in New Zealand and community initiatives with which Vicki has been involved directly:
  • Understanding the Electric Arc Furnace
  • Electric Arc Furnace Announcement at New Zealand Steel
  • FocusOn Ironsands at Waikato North Head, New Zealand
  • Visiting the Te Whāngai Trust
  • 'RYDA' Road Safety Education Program
  • Kariotahi Surf Lifesaving Club
  • What Leadership Means with Robin Davies
  • Vox Pop: Pineapple on Pizza (a bit of fun with employees!)
• Browse a 60th anniversary photo album on Flickr.

Connect with Us

• Corporate website
• LinkedIn page
• TVBlueScope on YouTube

Credits

• Edited by Martin Feld