What is wrong with Gonski & the NDIS, Hasbeen?

Almost exactly wrong, McReal, for the fundamental reason that mining can only take place where sufficient concentration of ore is present. This amounts to less than a hundredth of the area where agriculture can be undertaken. That's before even considering the corollary that that value per square metre is much greater with mining, or the possibility of rehabilitation for agriculture post-mining.

Having said that, the large area of open cut coal mining in the Hunter Valley might be the exception that proves the rule.

"mining can only take place where sufficient concentration of ore is present" -- really??!

"This amounts to less than a hundredth of the area where agriculture can be undertaken" -- That's beside the point: the key issue is *the areas where agriculture can be undertaken* AND the water tables surrounding them AND the water-courses downstream from them.

"the possibility of rehabilitation for agriculture post-mining" = only a possibility: the mining-industry either has a poor record in this area, or a poorly-documented record.

"the large area of open cut coal mining in the Hunter Valley might be the exception that proves the rule" - what rule?

It is the media setting the scene for turncoat/traitor Tony Windsor.
Would people of the New England region be so stupid?

At least Barnaby Joyce is fairdinkum and can be reached, and he encourages progress.

"What is wrong with Gonski & the NDIS, Hasbeen?" McReal.

Only a fan of even bigger government, who draws their income from the tax payers purse in some way, could ever ask such a question.

What rule? The rule that mining is, generally, intrinsically a far greater generator of wealth per square metre than mining, for the fundamental reason of scarcity - yes, really. How much of Australia's land area do you think is occupied by mining, and how much by agriculture? This, far from being beside the point, is precisely the point.