Govt risked jobs with ore inquiry: Shorten

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten says the government put jobs and investment at risk by toying with the idea of an inquiry into iron ore.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has scrapped the idea after talks with industry stakeholders, despite last week supporting an inquiry into the sharp drop in ore prices and its impact on government revenues.

"We've seen the government carry on for a week about a phantom iron ore inquiry ... but nowhere have I seen Tony Abbott or Joe Hockey talk about the jobs of the actual miners who have lost their jobs," Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.