"It is high time governments taxed mining companies appropriately," said Friends of the Earth Brisbane spokesperson, Eleanor Smith, "The resources belong to us, we bear the environmental and health costs of these industries and yet as it stands the Queensland Government gives all the royalties they earn and then some straight back to the coal industry in infrastructure and other services."
"We're really glad the Federal government is standing up to the mining industry and imposing a super profit tax, it's a shame the Queensland Government won't stand up and support it" said Ms Smith
According to media reports the Queensland Resources Council have met with Premier Anna Bligh and Treasurer Andrew Fraser, successfully persuading them to take a stand against a strong Resource Super Profits Tax.
"The Bligh Government lobbied for greater concessions for mining companies under the Emissions Trading Scheme and now they're at it again, siding with the big polluters over the people of Queensland".
"We're concerned about where the revenue from this tax will be invested. When you look at the environmental and social costs of mining, especially the climate change impacts of coal mining, it's clear we need to phase out that industry. We need a tax on mining that funds a just transition of our economy away from fossil fuel energy and dirty jobs to sustainability. As the state with the largest mining industry in Australia we should be doing some major planning for a future without coal mining."
"Today we are calling on all Queenslanders to remind Bligh and Fraser they represent us not the coal industry".
For more information see the Friends of the Earth Australia action alert