Once known as the lucky country for its mineral wealth, Australia has become, thanks to its latest mining boom, the warring country. On March 19th parliament passed a mining tax on profits from coal and iron ore, Australia's two biggest exports. Giving a flavour of the debate, the treasurer, Wayne Swan, attacked three of Australia's richest mining tycoons as "that tiny...0.1% who are blind to the national interest". One of them, Clive Palmer, responded by claiming the cia was in cahoots with the Australian Greens (who supported the tax) to destroy the coal industry in his home state of Queensland.
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