The Minerals Council of Australia is advertising that mining companies pay “at least 30 cents of every dollar to government”, rising to as much as 54 cents “once royalties are included”. Except, this is not correct.
As a long-term critic of the Productivity Commission, and someone who has called for their abolition, even I think the Prime Minister’s recent attack on the government-funded think tank was unfair and inaccurate.
On Monday, Australian Energy Producers (AEP) - the lobby group representing the foreign owned gas giants that export 80% of Australia’s gas - welcomed the Coalition’s announcement to help them export even more of Australia’s finite gas resources by cutting environmental protections and increasing subsidies.
What’s the point of the Productivity Commission? The Productivity Commission is a government-funded economic think tank that’s meant to give independent advice about how to make the Australian economy work better.
On this episode of What’s the Point?, Richard Denniss discusses whether it is fit for purpose.
Host: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute //@richarddenniss
Host: Anna Chang, Managing Editor, The Point // @annachang
