No-infrastructure Abbott

THE AUSTRALIAN people are calling on the Federal Government for more funding for infrastructure.

To pay for these facilities and services we must have money and where does the money come from?
If the Federal Government asked all Australians to pay an extra 5 per cent tax to pay for such facilities and services on top of what they already pay, people would scream blue murder saying we pay too much tax now.
And fair enough.
When the Federal Government proposed a new Mineral Resources Rent Tax (MRRT) on the big end of town, like mining companies, the Opposition followers in Australia opposed it, I was amazed at this reaction.
The rhetoric the Abbott led Opposition is using to inflame the mining companies is nothing short of disgraceful.
For the Opposition to say that if elected they would stop the MRRT says one thing about Tony Abbott if you want any of the above infrastructure, services and other very essential services like doctors, nurses, carers. It says you must pay for it yourself with higher taxes on all Australians.
Executives of big mining companies earn more money in 12 months than an ordinary Australian earns in a lifetime.
The philosophy of the mining companies and the Opposition is to support billionaire miners ahead of other Australians.
The Opposition says that the trade unions are running the ALP and Australia.
What could be worse than mining companies running and dictating the terms that they want to the Opposition, ahead of all other Australian taxpayers?
If the mining companies want to use scare tactics, saying that they will leave Australia if this new MRRT goes ahead, let them go.
I am sure there are other mining companies out there that are ready to take their place to mine our resources. Plus the infrastructure is already there.
To all Australians: do you want the infrastructure built and paid for with higher taxes or do you want the mining companies to make a fairer tax contribution through the MRRT, so we can have all of the above facilities and essential services by sharing the wealth of resources?
The fear and scare tactics that the Opposition is using that all commodities will have higher costs attached to them is baseless and has no credibility.
Mining Companies are not loyal. This was clearly displayed during the GFC when they made 16 per cent of their workforce redundant while other companies were employing people.
LANCE DEGENHARDT 
Barmera