It is becoming the norm now for large miners to park their machines and sack dozens of operators when times are tough.

Although I can't yet find a link, I can assure you it's going on as we speak, as the Bowen Basin is in melt down, due to huge production costs, low prices and less reward at the end.

One can only assume that they (the miners) have taken the view that it's no longer worth carrying crew through the tough times, as they will only get shafted by the MRRT when good time come back. Good times that in the past, made up for carrying the load during tough times.

It appears to be yet another case of big business brainiacs outsmarting incompetent governments.

Remember there was the gloating by Swan and Gillard about the record investment in mining, post mention of the MRRT.

Of cause while they were out there gloating their 'how clever are we crap' as correctly predicted, they (the miners) were setting about accumulating tax write offs in readiness for the tax, resulting in less than 10% of the ALREADY SPENT 2 BILLION in revenue the two amigos were counting on.

Governments just don't get it, that for every action, there's a reaction.

Personally, I'm getting tired of saying, I told you so, but, I told you so.

Rehctub, I don’t share you condemnation of government the over the MRRT.

This tax is a damned good thing in principle. The big miners should most definitely be returning more to the general community when the going is good.

Yes sure it changes the economics and hence the hiring and firing regime of the mining companies, but probably only to a very small extent.

The Australian taxpayers, ex-taxpayers and dependents of taxpayers far removed from the Pilbara and the Bowen Basin should most definitely be seeing a bigger advantage from the massive exploitation of our once-off mineral wealth.

It is a great pity that our government hasn’t made this tax much more effective. This just points to the enormous power the big business sector in lobbying (read: bullying) the government into introducing something which is little than a token effort.

Production costs and the price of the product are always going to be changing and affecting the recruitment and termination of workers. The MRRT, even if it were to be highly effective, would just be one more factor, and probably not a very big one. Especially given that the MRRT would be at its biggest impost when mineral prices are at their highest and the rate of production is right up there… which would essentially mean that the MRRT would hardly be a burden or a factor in hiring and firing at all!

Perhaps it is the big miners themselves and other vested-interest and quite ruthlessly self-centred big companies that should be bearing the brunt of your wrath rechtub, rather than the government.

Will not keep you long rechtub better if you had a single clue what you are talking about.
Big game for your mob this weekend mine are having therapy, seems they fear the chalk on the try line

Dear Rechtub,

<<Personally, I'm getting tired of saying, I told you so, but, I told you so.>>

Yes, you told us about the outcome, but not whether you see it as a good or a bad thing.

Why not see the bright side, that with the reduction in the mining sector, with less exports and therefore less imports, we may re-develop our other industries, including agriculture, so we can be more self-sufficient rather than forget our basic skills. This would be handy once the world-economy collapses.

Ludwig....This tax is a damned good thing in principle. The big miners should most definitely be returning more to the general community when the going is good.

So what about when the going is bad

Now while we should agree to disagree about the MRRT, the fact remains that this is yet another case of big business, outsmarting government who, at the end of the day, have become desperate to fill the void CREATED through their missmanagement of our affairs.

Furthermore, it has led to even more instability in working folks lives, as the new trend is now for miners to hire their workers, second hand, via contract labor.

Now sure it costs them more, but when the numbers don't add up, they simply flick the switch, so as to say and sit on their hands and wait for better times.

It also reduces their exposure to ridiculous IR laws.

Now the real fear here is not so much for the present day mines, but the future mines, as it stands to reason that once you over tax profits, they (the miners) will be less inclined to risk capital on the likes of exploration.

Yuyutsu, if you seriously think we as a nation can become self sufficient, all I can say to you my friend, is keep dreaming.

Exports, or should I say, mining exports are the reason we enjoy the lifestyle we do, because without them we simply can't survive.

As far as us becoming a nation of makers again, how do you propose we do this without slashing wages, which of cause will lead to a huge decline in our lifestyles.

May I suggest that you be careful what you wish for Yuyutsu, because if we loose mining, we are doomed.

Small Retail is almost finished, Woolworths are taking over the milk business, tourism will never recover with a high dollar, manufacturing won't reignite without serious government input WITH NO MONEY, IT will continue to go off shore, (the NBN will make this easier), so apart from mining, I challenge you, what's left to fulfill your dream?
Continued

Continued by Rehctub
Belly, I went to the game last night, and although we didn't win, I think we may have turned our VERY SHORT season around as we managed to play as a team in the second 40 and put a scare on the comps favorites.

As for your boys, they are suffering from what our boys suffered from, the Benny disease. Or not having him at least.

Now as for me being once again, I'll informed, in your eyes, how about we revisit this topic is say two years, as that will give Abbott and co a chance to settle in, take stock and see just what the full extent of the damage that your much loved labor party have done THIS TIME.

It's becoming a habit of labor's, waste and miss-management, don't you think!

Two cracks in twenty years, with two failures. Kinda tells you something, if you can see outside the party walls.

Poor old Bob, who in my view was one of our best PM's, and got my vote, would be scratching his head in amazement I recon.

There's no way he would have tolerated the crap that today's labor has to put up with, from within.