bob brown - mining is bad for the economy

In an article by The Australian today, Bob Brown, the leader of the Greens is quoted as saying;

"There needs to be a complete review (of the Minerals Resource Rent Tax MRRT) in light of the emerging and blatantly clear evidence now that mining is not good for the rest of the economy," Senator Brown said.

Wilkie and Brown on MRRT

I wonder if anyone has asked senator Brown what the "blatantly" clear evidence is.

My understanding is that nearly a million people work in mining, or mining related industries, or industries that rely on mining, from the truck drivers, to the drillers, and the cleaners, and the I.T. programmers, and security staff, and indigenous communities, nurses, pilots, lawyers, accountants, right down to the local sandwich shop that supplies food to the workers.

There are 2 things that appear "blatantly" clear to me.

Firstly, without mining, more than a million people and their families will go hungry, and the country goes broke.

Secondly, senator Brown needs to retire, preferably to the far distant planet that he comes from, not only has he lost a grasp on reality, but he is now a dangerous threat to the health of our wonderful country and to all hard working Australians.

Gw