Wilkie threatens to block mine tax


Independent Andrew Wilkie has threatened the Gillard government's mining tax, warning he will block it unless it is fundamentally redrawn and possibly expanded to capture profits from more mining companies.

Mr Wilkie, the first independent to pledge his support to Labor in the hung parliament, says the proposed mining tax is "unsatisfactory", must be redesigned from scratch and should be included in next year's proposed tax summit along with the rate of GST.

His position sets up a showdown with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan, who wants the mining tax excluded from the summit and has refused to canvass changes to the GST.

Mr Wilkie told The Weekend Australian that unless the mineral resources rent tax was changed he would oppose its legislation if it were introduced into the House of Representatives.

"I think we need to go back to the drawing board because the MRRT as it is currently designed is unsatisfactory," he said.

Although he would not specify his preferred changes to the MRRT, saying experts should be consulted, Mr Wilkie suggested the tax could be applied to a wider number of mining companies.

Mr Wilkie, who said the nation's richest companies could pay more tax, told The Weekend Australian he would write to the prime minister to urge the inclusion of both the mining tax and the GST at the tax summit.

I do not have a issue with is tax but what shape or form it should be is something they need to sort ... We do not have infinite resources the companies need to pay like they do in other countries .. It will not send them broke , the companies will not stop mining here like the coalition and their bleeding heart supporters keep promoting just to destabilse a government so they can achieve their own agenda ..

These companies know this is one of the last iron ore sources that can be mined and mined as easily as it can .. We only  have about 40 years left of this resource based on mining it at its current rate .. so why not make it worth our while if they want it they pay for ... they really don't have a choice .. it would cost them more to reset up some where else , it would cost them more to mine the resource somewhere else ...

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It`s quite telling how unionists seem to be comfortable with looking into other people`s bank accounts,  comes with the parasitic mindset. This is the politic of envy, and resentment of success.

The minerals in the ground belong to all Australians, and the reds want to KEEP them there too.

I think he's just posturing. They can't get the current one through. They won't get a bigger one through.

Australia is crawling with Reds..
If you didn't vote Liberal/Nats and your not willing to flog Australia's resources off for a few pennies you are a Communist   

Dnarever wrote on Sep 11^th, 2010 at 10:37am:



Why does anyone who doesn't live in a mining area believe that the mining companies get the stuff for free, the fact is they pay the state government a huge royalties check for every tonne they dig up.

BTW the mineral don't belong to all Australians they belong to the state that sits on them. If you don't have the minerals, then you  shouldn't get our money.

Look at Victoria , stuff all minerals, so the state relies on pokie's taxes and speed cameras revenue to make up the budget short falls.

How about we tax ALL super profit comanies, energy, banks or what ever? Not just our mining companies

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And what are the states, if not Australians?

It is not infinite. He is not the only independent the government must keep onside, and the independents are not the only people the government needs to consider. It always comes back to the voters in the end. The government would be more than happy to reject the independents if the public did too, so they could kill them off.