"I don't see much of the wealth from the mining boom helping all Australians. It is depletion of a finite resource and the voracious appetite of the miners for skilled workers and the voracious appetite of China for metals (pushing up our dollar to record highs) hurts many other sectors within our country."
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I agree ACB. A heavy focus on mining promotes a dumb country (look at Middle East countries with their O&G, they will have nothing to show for it once their resources are depleted)... it sucks capital & labour away from more value adding industries.
Having said that, we should benefit from the current mining boom. A mining tax at an appropriate rate is important to compensate future generations who may not get to enjoy the benefits of depleted resources.
Given the woeful record of govts on spending, the proceeds of a mining tax need to be locked away from these vultures.
Political Disclaimer: I've smoked a bit but never inhaled...
