How miners mined what was once mine.

One year too late - how big companies can and do bend democratically elected governments to their corporate will.

Tony Abbott: The government had clobbered Australia's most successful industry with a proposal for the world's highest taxes. And even before Labor's mining tax has been implemented, it's already done massive damage. In just one year, Australia has plunged 13 places in the world rankings as a safe place to do business in mining.

We now rank, this is Australia, we now rank behind Argentina, Tanzania, Zambia, Ghana, Namibia and Botswana as a safe place to invest in mining, thanks to the actions of this government, and this from a government which claims to be a good economic manager.

Stan Correy: The Opposition leader was quoting a survey of the safest places for mining companies to invest globally. Incidentally, that survey is conducted by a Canadian think tank that is funded heavily by the Canadian mining industry.

Tony Abbott used the same information several times during media interviews in the election week last year...

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