LEVIES – WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Chaney lashes WA Nats’ iron tax plan

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Original article by Paul Garvey, Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 23 : 11-Nov-16

Wesfarmers chairman Michael Chaney has criticised a proposal by Western Australian National Party leader Brendon Grylls to increase the state’s iron ore levy. He argues that BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto already make a significant contribution to government revenue from taxes and mining royalties, and the existing arrangement for sharing GST revenue means WA’s income will not rise anyway. He adds that the levy increase would also result in job losses and reduced investment in WA, while Brazil would gain a greater share of iron ore exports at Australia’s expense.

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

BHP urges suppliers to join tax fight

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 & 30 : 10-Nov-16

BHP Billiton executive Mike Henry has warned that mining services firms would be adversely affected by the Western Australian National Party’s proposed increase in the state’s iron ore levy. He says the mining services sector should lobby against the policy, arguing that they will receive less work if the levy is increased from $A0.25 per tonne to $A5, while employment in the sector will fall. Henry also says there should be greater collaboration between resources groups and mining services firms.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, ORICA LIMITED – ASX ORI

Grylls ups fight on iron ore tax

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Original article by Andrew Burrell
The Australian – Page: 21 : 19-Oct-16

Western Australian Nationals leader Brendon Grylls claims that parliament can alter the state agreements of Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton without their consent. The state agreements require BHP and Rio to pay a levy of $A0.25 for each ton of iron ore they produce, but Grylls has proposed lifting this to $A5. He also alleges that they have breached the state agreements. A Rio spokesman has warned that future investment in WA and iron ore supply would be jeopardised if the government sought to change the state agreements.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO ALUMINIUM (BELL BAY) LIMITED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, NATION AIR, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE

Nationals at war over mining tax

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 14-Oct-16

National Party of Australia leader Barnaby Joyce has weighed into the debate on the proposed increase in Western Australia’s iron levy. Joyce says he supports policies aimed at promoting the growth of regional areas but stresses that the tax hike proposed by WA Nationals leader Brendon Grylls is not the answer. Grylls has responded by criticising Joyce for not supporting WA. Grylls wants to increase the iron ore levy from $A0.25 per tonne to $A5, in order to offset WA’s loss of GST revenue.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Japanese, miners blast WA ‘tax grab’

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Original article by Rick Wallace
The Australian – Page: 22 : 12-Oct-16

A proposed increase in Western Australia’s iron ore levy has been criticised by speakers at a conference organised by the Australia-Japan Business Co-­operation Committee. BHP Billiton executive Arnoud Balhuizen said lifting the levy from $A0.25 per tonne to $A5 would result in job losses and reduced investment in the state. Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metals Corporation’s honorary chairman also expressed concern about the proposal by WA National Party leader Brendon Grylls.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA-JAPAN BUSINESS CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, NIPPON STEEL AND SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

BHP, Rio spurn WA plan for upfront tax

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Original article by Tess Ingram, Julie-anne Sprague
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 5-Oct-16

Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has again ruled out adopting a WA National Party proposal to increase the iron ore levy on BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto from $A0.25 per tonne to $A5. However, Treasurer Mike Nahan has described the levy as an anomaly, and he has held discussions with BHP and Rio regarding alternatives such as an upfront lump-sum payment. Both companies have indicated that they would not support an upfront payment.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, REACHTEL PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

BHP’s Henry slams Grylls over mining tax plan

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Original article by Julie-anne Sprague
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 23-Sep-16

It is estimated that the iron ore levy proposed by Western Australian National Party leader Brendon Grylls would raise about $A1.5bn each year. Grylls wants to increase the state levy from $A0.25 per tonne to $A5. BHP Billiton executive Mike Henry argues that the resources giant already pays a levy of about $A5 per tonne, adding that it paid total taxes of around $A17.50 for each tonne of iron ore it produced in 2015. Henry warns that capital investment and dividends would be affected by Grylls’ proposal.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, REACHTEL PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE

Miners lash Joyce’s ore comments

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Original article by James Thomson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 12-Sep-16

Minerals Council of Australia CEO Brendan Pearson has described a proposed levy on iron ore production in Western Australia as a "bad idea" that will adversely affect both the sector and suppliers. Federal National Party leader Barnaby Joyce has been criticised after saying that he understood the motivations for state counterpart Brendon Grylls in proposing that the iron ore levy paid by BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto be increased from $A0.25 per tonne to $A5.

CORPORATES
MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Barriers stifle growth, says BHP

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 17-Aug-16

BHP Billiton CEO Andrew Mackenzie has stressed the importance of Australia’s trade relationship with China, and warned that global economic growth could be threatened by a growing international push toward protectionism. He has also criticised a proposal by Western Australian National Party leader Brendan Grylls to impose an iron ore levy on BHP and Rio Tinto, arguing that they already make a major contribution to government revenue at state and federal level.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, SAMARCO MINERACAO SA, AUSGRID PTY LTD

Forrest slams Grylls over tax threat

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Original article by Julie-anne Sprague, Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 10-Aug-16

Fortescue Metals Group founder Andrew Forrest has criticised a proposal by new Western Australian National Party leader Brendan Grylls to impose an iron ore tax on BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. Grylls has proposed changes to state agreements with the two resources giants to increase the levy on iron ore out from $A0.25 per tonne to $A5. Fortescue would not be affected as its state agreement is more recent. Grylls says the levy will not proceed if BHP and Rio successfully lobby the Federal Government to overhaul the system for distributing GST revenue.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA