Australian mines are no longer Australian

National pride isn't just about Alitalia and Air France, or Parmalat and Lactalis. Even the Australian mines - certainly more "strategic" than yoghurts - are the object of national greed. The 'China Daily' newspaper - it should be remembered that China has been very active in acquiring control or stakes in Australian mining companies to secure supplies of raw materials - reports that the Australian 'greens' have presented a report in which it is estimated that 83% of the mining sector is in foreign hands. The percentage is high but in any case sovereignty shouldn't worry, given that the treasures in the bowels of the earth are there to be extracted and it doesn't matter - to Australians - who buys them as long as the price is fair. In any case, Australia has been running a current deficit for decades – it consumes more resources than it produces – and the most painless way to correct the current deficit – the other two ways being devaluation and/or recession – is to sell “pieces of Australia” to foreigners. Foreign control over the country's resources is therefore a somewhat obligatory choice. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua/2011-06-29/content_3038356.html
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/9753803/miners-say-greens-tax-plan-is-xenophobic/