Amy has already highlighted the AFR piece on the mining industry’s involvement with the Liberal campaign.

So what is it that the Minerals Council might be hoping to achieve? The Minerals Council press release on the Liberal mining ‘policy’ has a clue in the very last line:

The MCA also welcomes the Coalition’s commitment to retain the Fuel Tax Credits scheme – a critical initiative for mining, agriculture, tourism and seafood industries – building on the Federal Government’s existing commitment.

The Fuel Tax Credit Scheme is Australia’s biggest fossil fuel subsidy. This is main game for the big coal and iron ore miners because it refunds around $3.5 billion in fuel tax to them every. single. year.

The miners are very worried that independent politicians are going to push a minority Labor government to wind back this tax break.

To be clear, independents and minor parties want to take BILLIONS from BHP, Gina Rinehart and Clive Palmer and spend it on health and education.

That is why, IMO, the Minerals Council are so embedded in the Liberal campaign.