I seem to be somewhat confused with
the ongoing political controversy between
Government and the Mining Industry.

Mr Rudd and the "economists" are telling us
that the Mining Industry should pay more Tax
on their mining ventures because the mineral
resources that are being mined "belong to all
of us",( all the people of Australia ) yet a
Freehold Landowner does not own any of the
mineral resources contained on or beneath
the surface of his land, nor is he entitled to
any Royalties for the onward sale of minerals
that have been mined on his property,...in
actual fact he owns nothing at all, bar the
right to keep on paying his annual "rent"!

The right to ownership and profit from the
onward sale of these minerals is vested in the
mining company licensed to carry out the mining
operation( who would then be required
to pay SOME Tax ) according to the laws of the
country!

Methinks this smells of Government hypocracy,by
applying one set of rules to the Mining Industry
and another set of rules to the individual landowner,
purely to inject the maximum amount of tax into the
Government coffers!

Methinks, you should read a little more about the purposes and the basis of societies in stead of Party rhetoric.

Examinator, ummm I doubt that anyone could understand your post. If you would really like a comment it might be an idea to expand and clarify.

Crackcup, when you own land in Australia you don't own everything beneath the surface as well. You have title only to the measured area of land, and nothing else. Mining companies normally do NOT own the land they mine, it is mostly leased for the express purpose of commercial exploitation. If you suspect there's say, opals, beneath the surface of your privately owned land you have the right to set up a privately owned company and apply to privately mine the land (there's hundreds of such examples on privately owned and leased land in Australia). Therefore there is ZERO government hypocrisy: There is NOT one set of rules in this regard for the mining industry and a different set of rules for the individual landowner. **Obviously** you won't be allowed to mine your tiny suburban allotment in the middle of Paddington, for obvious reasons etc etc etc etc

Also you are in factual error when you state, "Mr Rudd and the economists are telling us that the mining industry should pay more tax". They are saying that in the bad, less profitable times the tax rates of the mining industry will be **LESS** and in the good times their tax rates will be more - - - under current laws even in the in the "good times" the mining companies pay **LESS** tax than other businesses due to the generous tax concessions they receive.

The beneficiaries of this new legislation are the Australian people. A way to sufficiently fund superannuation in a rapidly aging population is the greatest economic challenge facing this country. This is why the mining industry is targeted in the legislation - - - it's time the mining industry stopped paying **LESS** tax than other businesses.

Crack up have a cupa and a good sleep bloke.
You are so of on this subject.
Government pays pensions and health education and laws costs.
They pay for our defense and our water our roads and railways.
Tax's are not squirreled away but spent.
Some of this tax is to be spent on roads rail infrastructure to help? miners export their product.
New or updated ports.
miners take, from our country's soil great Rich's, they pay less now to do it than they once did, only fair a tax or way of increasing the royalty's keep up with true value.
not far into the future many more country's will impose such a tax, ten years from now the bleating from such as you will look as silly to us all as it does to me now.

Belly:
Normally I would NOT waste my time responding
to your brainwashed diatribe, but the regularity
and monotony of your comments indicate that once
again you have thrust aside any attempt at forming
a rational point of view, instead and as usual, resorting
to your incredible and inane way of "rubbishing" every
other contibutors opinion, unless of course it meets
with your typical "Party Faithful" warped "Trade
Union" method of thinking that can usually be likened
to the intellect of a burnt tree stump.

If you ever have something sensible to say, or are
prepared to consider another contributor`s viewpoint
without resorting to your rabid pseudo "It`s Time!"(again)
postulations, I will then enter into an exchange of views
and opinions with you!...Until then I would suggest that
you remember that famous quotation: "Better to remain
silent and let them think you a fool, than open your
mouth and prove that you are!"