A community cabinet meeting in Western Australia in Perth last night gave Prime Minister Kevin Rudd a chance to answer concerns over the new mining super profits tax. There were protests with placards at the community cabinet meeting venue.
The local population fears the mining tax will make companies scale down or even shut down their operations in Western Australia. This would bring unemployment to a large chunk of people. The concern of the community was visible at the venue.
Mr. Rudd did his best to elevate fears about the tax money being used to pay off deficits. However in the face of the stiff opposition that the mining tax is facing, he also received a vote of confidence from one of the local community members.
Mr. Rudd is now scheduled to meet Mr. Andrew Forrest of Fortescue Metals. He has been an out spoken critic of the federal government’s new mining law and has been rooting for the government’s removal as the only way to stop this tax.