Letter to the Editor – The Age
Bryan Kavanagh, Glen Waverley
It’s sickening to see the two major parties compete to sell Australians out as they kow-tow to foreign interests in connection with our natural resources. As Julia Gillard accedes to the requirements of the big miners, Tony Abbott says she’s still not providing them enough super profits at our expense. We’re clearly being diddled and sold down the creek, and Bob Brown and the Greens are the only people left representing us on this important principle.
To see former unionist and purported future Australian Prime Minister Bill Shorten argue that Julia Gillard needs to accommodate international miners with the leeway she has granted in comparison with the recommendations of Ken Henry’s panel misses one critical point. Bill, you should know by now it’s the workers who create mining companies wealth, not vice versa. If the big boys want to walk away if we demand a fair return for our natural resources, let them. We’ll find local companies to resume their leases at a market rent of at least 40% on their net profit before tax, depreciation and amortisation.
Hear hear!