<snip>My opinion on excessive taxation, especially in the name of "greater good", is widely known, but I'm unfamiliar with the particulars of Aussie property rights, mineral rights and ownership.

I don't have problems with increasing taxes for the greater good (except in this case we shouldn't have to, except for mismanagement of the ecomony by our present leaders) but make it broadbased, don't just target the one industry that has greatly lessened the impact of the GFC.
If you do you risk 'Killing the goose that laid the Golden Egg", just dumb socialist policy.

Your question regarding ownership etc is hard to answer as it is a mixture of privately owned and publicly owned on which a mining lease has to applied for and paid as well as a resources rental tax paid per tonne. The minerals are owned by each individual state and in the case of Western Australia a 2% increase in royalties has just be negotiated, and Western Australia is very happy with that and so are the miners.

The 2% increase in the royalties is a sensible way of dealing with this in these economic times, whereas the 40% super profits tax (6% is not a super profit) is only a targeted grab by the Government to try and cover up its economic incompetance which will create much damage through out the entire economy.

Yes you are right this thread has drifted but you keep replying, so will I.

Mike gone but not forgotten <vbg>