The greatest lobbying parasite in Australia is puffing itself up for the energy battle ahead:
The mining lobby group said a temporary tax on coal and gas producers would be a “perverse” way to deal with rising energy prices.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on morning radio did not rule out a temporary tax that was reported in The Australian, but said a permanent minerals resource rent tax was not on the table.
Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable acknowledged high prices were hurting households and business, but said the government was conflating domestic prices with the export market.
“It would be perverse to try and tax our way out of such a significant issue,” she said.
“It’s a very short-term fix … It’s not sensible for the government to put another big tax on an industry that’s been holding up the economy for quite some.”
Constable said the answer was bringing more supply, like the Narrabri gas project, online, and “not seeking to bring industries together that have nothing to do with the domestic market to try and make sure that we’re bringing electricity prices down”.
She also said coal prices were starting to come down and would fall further into 2023.
There are three reasons that the Albanese Government has no need to fear the Minerals Parasite of Australia this time:
- This is not the RSPT that is being proposed. It will not be permanent. Nor is it clear it will even be a “tax”. An export levy based upon profiteering from a foreign war is no such thing.
- The levy or tax will target the Evil Gas Cartel and Evil Big Coal. These are not the same entities as iron ore national champions held in the hearts of punting Aussies. They are globally polluting foreign cartels.
- The war profiteers are costing Australians a lot of money via the energy shock not making it for them.
- The absence of the formidable Mitch Hooke.
The only thing that is “perverse” about this is the Minerals Parasite itself and prosecuting that case is easy for a half-competent politician.
Put Ed Husic on the task.
