Mining boom not dead, says industry, as exports top tourism – by David Crowe (The Australian – February 6, 2017)

 

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/

Australians are being urged to ­reject the “anti-business sentiment” that threatens to impose greater burdens on the mining ­industry, with a new campaign ­assuring voters the sector employs 225,000 workers and pays $12 billion a year in taxes and royalties.

The campaign counters claims about the end of the mining boom while also claiming the industry pays 54 cents in every dollar to governments, challenging calls for a mining tax or a lift in state royalties.

The TV advertisements tell the story of workers in manufacturing and other sectors that rely on mining, while an online campaign takes on claims that mining companies do not contribute enough to public services such as hospitals and schools.

Central to campaign by the Minerals Council of Australia and the NSW Minerals Council is the argument that mining will remain a major part of the economy after already contributing $177bn in taxes and royalty payments to state and federal governments over a decade.

One claim, that the growth in mining exports this year will ­exceed the annual receipts from inbound tourism, is backed by statistics that counter some of the rhetoric about the end of the mining boom.

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