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March 20th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda Prime Minister Julia Gillard says her government won’t allow states to raise mining royalties and “gouge” resource companies without consequence.
Under the minerals resource rent tax, which passed parliament on Monday, the federal government has agreed to credit miners with royalty payments including any increases after July 1 when the MRRT starts.
Western Australia announced rises last year and NSW plans to raise an extra $944 million over four years.
If the Liberal National Party is elected to government in Queensland on Saturday, as is widely expected, incoming premier Campbell Newman is also likely to look at raising mining royalties.
Ms Gillard told reporters in Canberra the government would take a dim view of such action.
“We have been clear with the states that we are not going to be in a position to just see them gouge away here and to be of the view that it doesn’t have consequences,” Ms Gillard said.
Treasurer Wayne Swan went further, saying the government would be “taking actions to ensure that our revenues are protected”.
Any states that increased royalties would risk their share of $6 billion in infrastructure funds flowing from the MRRT, he said.
NSW Treasurer Mike Baird was unmoved by Mr Swan’s comments.
“I make no apology for standing up for the people of NSW who are being penalised by a federal treasurer who’s clearly not across his brief,” Mr Baird told AAP.
The issue had been referred to the GST review, suggesting states and territories that increased royalties may be penalised with a lesser share of GST revenue.
WA Premier Colin Barnett said any rise in royalties would be done “regardless of any opinion of Wayne Swan, Julia Gillard or Penny Wong”.
“Western Australians are sick and tired of the commonwealth government holding back the advance in this state,” Mr Barnett said.
Greens MP Adam Bandt, whose party was crucial to the tax passing parliament, acknowledged the states had the ability to undermine the MRRT.
He said that was why the Greens had sought to remove the commitment to fully credit mining companies for all future state royalties.
“We’ll keep a very close watch on it because it is a tax that could have the floor taken out from under it if the states increase their royalties,” Mr Bandt said.
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