Minerals Council Of Australia Halts Advertising Against Mining Tax

24th Jun 2010 07:39

MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australia's peak mining lobby group said Thursday it has halted its advertising campaign against the government's planned mining tax in response to a request by new Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Minerals Council of Australia Chief Executive Mitch Hooke said the board of the lobby group had met and agreed to accept Gillard's offer to engage in consultation on the tax. "The board determined to suspend advertising as a gesture of goodwill in the expectation that the consultations will be meaningful and constructive," he said at a meeting in Melbourne. Hooke said the talks would need to address all of the key issues the mining industry has raised, including the 40% rate of the tax, its retrospectivity and its impact on Australia's international competitiveness. -By Alex Wilson, Dow Jones Newswires: 613-9292-2094; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 24, 2010 02:39 ET (06:39 GMT)