The mining industry has been a significant part of the Australian economy since soon after white settlement. From the early gold rushes to today's multifaceted operations, people have profited from the valuable materials which lie beneath our nation's soil.
In recent years, the mining industry has occupied an increasing amount of the media's attention, as we learn more about the people who own the huge mining companies, consider the industrial relations issues surrounding the safety, supply and demand of the workforce, and worry about the impact mining has on our fragile ecosystems. (For more information, see Get Up's recent video on mining in and around the Great Barrier Reef.)
I believe the mining industry carries a higher moral culpability than other industries. Of course, all industries, from manufacturing to health care, have ethical responsibilities; none are exempt. However, the mining industry takes resources from the very so-called "golden soil" that is Australia and profits from their sale. Unlike crops, minerals and ores cannot be regrown: once sold, they are lost to the rest of Australians forever (unless it is sold within Australia, though it is my understanding that the majority of mined resources end up overseas).
The fact that the mining industry profits from selling something which rightfully belongs to all Australians places a higher moral burden on those companies. As I type this, I guess I realise that when it comes to mining, I am something of a socialist: I would prefer that mines are owned and operated by the government, with profits directly benefiting all Australians ... hmm, there's an interesting thought!
Idealism aside, the mining giants are becoming fat off a resource which is non-renewable and, uniquely, belongs to all Australians. The should therefore be held very accountable for their impact on the environment, their industrial relations policies, and their financial responsibilities to the other citizens of Australia.
