Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia, Senator Ian Macdonald, today slammed the Labor Government’s new $9 billion tax grab from the mining industry saying the move would cut jobs’ growth in the north.

Senator Macdonald yesterday drove through the North West Mineral Province, one of the hardest hit regions from Mr Rudd’s tax grab, to attend the Northern Outback Development Forum and meet with Northern Mayors at the North Queensland Local Government Association Conference.

Speaking from Normanton, Senator Macdonald said “I expect Mr Rudd’s new great big tax on mining will feature heavily at the Northern Outback Development Forum and at the Local Government Association Conference this week.

“The new tax will hit jobs growth in the north and hit even harder the budgets of Local Governments that were expecting to see new mining projects in their regions.

“It’s clear from this new tax, that Mr Rudd has little interest in the regions and is only focused on winning city votes.

“The decision of mining companies to immediately cease exploration in Western Australia will certainly spread to North Queensland, slowing the economy and costing jobs,” said Senator Macdonald.

“Parts of North Queensland already suffer from the highest unemployment rates in Australia and this new tax will see it rise again,” Senator Macdonald said.

NB. Despite only having 5% of the population, Northern Australia produces around 30% of Australia’s export wealth