The Queensland Greens have launched their State election plan to raise $61 billion from big mining companies over four years to fund the things Queenslanders need to live a good life.
Labor’s narrow and short term coal royalty changes mean revenue is set to drop by 76% in the coming State Budget.
Over the last 10 years, big mining companies have exported $634 billion of our resources but only paid 9% of that in royalties.
Michael Berkman, Qld Greens MP:
“We want more for Queenslanders, and less for mining corporations.
“Regular people are struggling to afford the basics, but these companies are making giant profits. It’s time they paid their fair share.
“Labor’s been play-fighting with the coal industry for a couple of years, but they always kiss and make up. Labor was never intending to seriously take on the big mining companies - the Greens are.
“State revenue is about to fall off a cliff as Labor’s short term coal royalty changes stop collecting any real revenue from July.
“The big coal mining companies know both Labor and the LNP will let them get away with ripping off Queenslanders.
“Queenslanders pay more tax via GST on a cup of coffee than these giant multinationals pay on resources that belong to all of us.
“Even worse, many of these giant mining corporations pay zero corporate tax at a federal level, which means a higher royalty rate is the fairest and simplest way to make them pay their fair share.
“In Norway, 55% of all revenue from oil and gas goes to fund things people really need, so we think a 35% royalty rate is very reasonable.”
Holstein Wong, Qld Greens candidate for McConnel and former coal processing engineer:
“I’ve worked in the mining industry and I’ve seen their staggering profits up close, as well as how they treat workers when prices fall.
“Labor and the LNP are lying when they tell Queenslanders we can’t afford to build enough public homes or fully fund local schools and hospitals. They’re just refusing to take on the big mining companies.
“Over my years working in coal in the Bowen Basin, I saw how big mining companies have a chokehold over both Labor and the LNP.
“I’m not surprised that despite their rhetoric, Labor are letting coal royalties crash by 76%.
“The clock is ticking on coal, and we need to capture a much bigger share of our enormous mineral wealth to set Queensland up for the future.”