No the resources do not belong to all Australians.
Check out the Constitutions of Australia, there are about 8 of them. The mineral resources belong to the States, not the Federal Govt. So in fact mineral resources in WA do belong to the people of WA according to our Constitutions. It is sad that so many Australians are gaslighted out of understanding this right that is in our Constitutions.
I have no problems with sharing the proceeds of the development of mineral resources, but I do not agree with just giving them away to as pork barrelling to win "The World's Most Liveable City" awards. There are much better ways to share the benefits, ways that involve a return on investment for either the Federal Govt(for all Australians) or the WA Govt(for the people of WA).
So the minerals being discovered by FBM in WA belong to WA in accordance with the current Constitutions of Australia, all 8(?) of them. The minerals being discovered in SA belong to the people of SA. The minerals being discovered in Nevada(USA) belong to Nevada(USA). And FBM is paying for the rights to explore and develop the deposits on behalf of the owners.
There is already work happening to do some Lithium processing in WA, and I would be more than happy to share batteries and lithium based products made in WA and SA with the rest of Australia. In the days of yore we managed to share the benefits of each States mineral wealth on a national scale by having factories and smelters that processed the minerals into useful products, we did not just hand out the mining profits like lollies to buy votes.
I am hoping that these lithium discoveries will result in the WA Govt taking a more proactive stance to do the work to add some value and turn the minerals into useable products in WA to be shared with all Australians, and also for the Federal Govt to take a proactive stance to help our brothers in other states have the opportunity of use the mineral wealth in factories and petro-chemical plants to produce useable products for all Australians.
Instead of just sucking out all the profits and winning competitions for the "Worlds Most Liveable City".
Hopefully my post remains within the HotCopper guidelines.
