We do export many things and the lower dollar helps. ( i use to export fruit to HK) The mining sector pays dividends and employs locals. The govts need the royalties to help pay for their bloated govt sectors. RIO is about to pay a $5b dollar dividend to share holders. That is their reward for taking risk and riding horrible commodity crashes and cycles. Many super funds own these stocks and the money goes to investors and retirees. Australia's problem is we have a stupid amount of govt at all levels and they are hungry for more taxes to feed themselves.(Even Hawke wanted to abolish the state govts). Regulation is a real problem and small business is struggling to make ends meet. The IR system is a screw up and hiring someone to take coffee to a table on a sat is like hiring a barrister. The country needs structural reform. The tax cuts in Oz were like two rate drops and people have record debt created by this stupid ponzi scheme realestate market. If you guys think we are going to run out of iron ore, coal, lead, zinc, nickle, gas, oil, or any other commodity in your own life time, needs to read more. Fortescue, RIO and BHP will be selling this stuff to build the world for so long, its not worth talking about. We were exporting these things to Japan in the 70's and since then we have found even more resources.
