Monday 24 May 2010

Australian Workers Union tell the mining industry to cough up

A new TV advert from the Australian Workers Union, attacking the mining industry who have mounted a massive campaign against Labor's 40% tax, says it's time to make big mining companies pay their fair share.

The AWU say that Labor is going to make sure that all Australians share in the resources boom, not just New York and London suits. The campaign says the head honchos in the mining companies are running scare campaigns to protect their massive paypackets.

"They will say that your job is at risk because of the new resources super profits tax – that is an outright lie. The AWU has always put the job security of our members first. But we know that the new tax will not cost any jobs in the resources sector – in fact it will spur on job creation," the AWU says. "Labor’s proposal will simply ensure that the profits of our nation’s natural resources are shared with all Australians. It will be reinvested in mining communities rather than lining the pockets of the super rich. After all these resources belong to all of us not just the big mine companies."

Treasurer Wayne Swan has said that some mining industry heads have privately admitted that can afford to pay more.

"The miners know, in their heart of hearts, that they are going to have to pay a bit more because the royalties regimen has not kept pace with the value of this resource, which is 100% owned by the Australian people," Swan said last week.

The Libs say the new tax will be "crippling," however Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton had bought shares in BHP Billiton since the new tax was proposed.

Gillard has also go on the attack, saying BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto pay just 13% tax at the moment.

"These are the cold, hard facts - the truth," she said on Friday. "Domestic mining companies pay an effective company tax rate of just 17%. For the overseas companies, the multinationals, it's around 13%. This is not a fair share and that's why we're moving to introduce the resources super-profits tax."

Here's the AWU new TV advertisement...



3 comments:

Xxjeshyxx (via Youtube) said...

yeah... while we're at it, let's ask the banks who make big profits out of the cash we deposit with them to give 40% back to Australia...

As people stop investing in australia, our dollar falls (as we've seen it drop from .92USD to .81USD). That affects our buying power as a whole ie imports... so by stealing from the mining industry, we're actually screwing ourselves over.

say no to the mining tax.

Syd Walker said...

The CFMEU has released a biting YouTube video on the proposed mining tax. Check this beauty produced by Manic Studios. Well worth forwarding to friends.

S Hiblo said...

While you're venting your spleen Mr Xxjeshyxx (via U Bend)
watch this from You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4PcQfz0MfU&feature=player_embedded

That should get the spittle foaming.

Bring on the Tax and stop the exploitation I say...
Look what they did to Nauru.