51% of Aussies Support Mining Tax

The mining tax proposal of the Labor government, set to be voted on likely by Wednesday, appears to be a more popular measure than the proposed lifting of uranium exports to India.

A survey by Essential Research released on Tuesday found that 51 per cent of Australians are in favor of the mining tax and 33 per cent disapprove, while 45 per cent of survey respondents thumbed down the planned lifting of the uranium export ban to India and only 30 per cent support the move.

To ensure the approval of the mining tax, the Labor government has secured support from three independent MPs in exchange for concessions worth almost $300 million spread over five years.

Two of the independent MPs, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott, agreed to support the mining tax in exchange for the government addressing their concerns over coal seam gas (CSG) and large coalmining developments through a package worth $200 million over five years.

The amount is broken down into $150 million for the establishment of an independent expert scientific committee to provide the government advice about coal seam gas and large coalmining approvals for projects that have major impact on water, and $50 million as incentive payment to states in exchange for their support to lift the standards of regulation for extractive industries.

However, the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) expressed apprehension over the new body because it would duplicate oversight efforts and contribute to red tape.

"The commonwealth does not have the resources to carry out projects assessments on the scale required. The trigger could potentially delay projects for years as the commonwealth works through EPBC referrals and approvals, which largely duplicate existing state processes," MCA Chief Executive Mitch Hooke said in a statement.

The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies supported the MCA's stand that new regulations are absolutely not needed, while the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) backed the new body.

"On the surface, it appears the government has adopted a position consistent with APPEA's call for a science-based approach to regulation that minimises regulatory overlap and duplication," APPEA Eastern Australia Chief Operating Officer Rick Wilkinson said.

Queensland, which is the centre of the CSG boom, supports the new body, said Queensland Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser.