According to Scott Morrison, we have a lot to thank the mining sector for.
In a speech at the Minerals Council of Australia dinner at Parliament House last week, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his deep commitment to the industry, and railed against the “noisy, shouty voices” that wanted to shut it down:
There’s a Shire expression. For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about it’s that wonderful southern part of Sydney. We have our own language and if we like something, this is what we say; ‘How good is mining?’
Morrison said that he would repeat this pro-mining mantra — of questionable origin — across the country, in Canberra, Townsville and Toorak. “I want you to succeed because stronger mining industry means a stronger Australia. A weaker mining industry means a weaker Australia,” he said.
The dinner came as part of the MCA’s Mining Week, a series of talks, panel discussions and events billed as “the industry’s opportunity to engage with decision-makers in Canberra”. But, how exactly did we end up here?
The hottest ticket in town
The MCA is a hugely influential lobby group which has poured millions into political coffers over the years. In early 2018, it made the oddly frank admission in a Senate inquiry that it had made donations to gain access to politicians, breaking from the standard line about “supporting democracy” usually employed by similar groups.
Last week’s dinner displayed the depths of this access. Morrison was joined on the guest list by numerous Coalition MPs, including Resources Minister Matt Canavan, Health Minister Greg Hunt and Environment Minister Melissa Price — who was recently called “invisible” by environmental groups over her conspicuous absence during a summer of heatwaves and natural disasters.
Who’s afraid of coal?
Morrison’s love of coal is well-documented. Last year, in a stunt his Liberal colleagues found hysterical, the then-treasurer brought a lump of coal into question time to wave at Labor. “This is coal. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared,” Morrison told the opposition.
Morrison is certainly not afraid to embellish the industry’s achievements. He told the crowd to give themselves a round of preemptive applause because he was certain the industry would help rebuild flood-ravaged communities in North Queensland. He claimed that the mining sector’s contribution to a strong economy was essential for the provision of affordable drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
“When people try to shut you down, they are taking and robbing from Australians the ability for us to deliver those essential services on the ground,” he said.
The PM also gave a special shoutout to Hugh Morgan, a mining executive and prominent climate change sceptic, who currently leads a lobby group devoted to pulling Australia out of the Paris Agreement.
Morrison finished with a stark warning for attendees, claiming Labor’s 45% emissions reduction target could wipe out many of the businesses in the room. “I’ll stand up for you. I’m not sure some others will.”
Hugh Morgan isn’t a climate change sceptic. He’s a climate change denier.
you claim to be an alternative to Murdoch drivel.
So all you can come up with re the Mining mongrels is ‘Morrison’ grovelling to that ‘Turnbul evicting/Morrison inserting’ mob????
And you call yourselves Journalists????
????
History will judge this mob harshly.
We have bugger all to thank the mining industry for these days. It was once an honest business, or honest enough, and the workers are dead set hard workers.
The industry these days is closer to a parasite in a non-symbiotic relationship. The most egregious avoiders of tax can be found here, the most significant pillagers of the commons, the industry most likely to leave the countryside un-repaired and the most likely to kick up a stink if called on to meet any obligation other than their shareholders.
They have lots of money and use it against the political system and the commons. Once a nation building industry, now they just import workers rather than train up the workforce they need. Their commitment to Australia is zero, their commitment to OUR resources is infinite, provided they can get them cheap and have marketing arms in Singapore and shell companies in The Caymans.
Oh yeah, and destroying the climate.
But apart from that, yeah great.
Well said, DB…you beat me to it! It doesn’t seem to fizz on this lot that they are destroying the planet!!
I very much doubt that anyone in The Shire is saying “how good is mining”.
I’ve spent plenty of time there and have never heard it. Must mix in different non Pentecostal and mining industry circles