• There is no simple answer to the obfuscation caused by the mining industry. I doubt we will ever get the hard facts on the financials simply because (as any intelligent investor knows) profit and loss can be covered up by creative accounting (more the profit). In a similar vein, I no longer believe either Labour or the Liberals (which is disgruntling because I have been a Liberal supporter most of my voting life, until now). So who do I vote for now ? - Donald
  • "All of the companies doing the digging have historically paid royalties to the states. But these were woefully small which is why Kevin Rudd as prime minister decided to impose a 40 per cent super profits tax on all mining and petroleum companies on the realized value of the resource deposits they extracted. As history shows, Julia Gillard renegotiated the tax with a handful of the big miners, after she ousted Mr. Rudd. The result is a 22.5% MRRT on a handful of iron ore and coal companies whose resource profits tip $50 million per annum." Why why why? Why wasn't this changed back to the original 40% in the budget? Nothing to lose, everything to gain! Big big disappointment. Thanks Monica for this piece. - Annie Also
  • I feel that these celebrity endorsements of products must be very successful with a large number of people. Years ago, women's magazines used to be quite interesting, and covered many diverse topics. Nowadays, those which I find, or am given, are at least three quarters full of celebrity gossip, which does not interest me at all. Obviously, the large numbers of people who buy these periodicals are greatly influenced by what these celebrities do and wear, and are very likely to be influenced by celebrity endorsed merchandise. Years ago, I looked after an 86 year old actress, who had beautiful skin. When I asked her what she used, she said Sorbolene and witch hazel! I have since read that dermatologists recommend sorbolene as the best skin cream and that is all I have used since! I gave up using the witch hazel, when I considered it quite expensive for my budget. I recently found some lipsticks in a local pharmacy for $2. These actually last longer than much more expensive brands. A high percentage of the price of high profile brands is the advertising. If they need to advertise so widely, I wonder whether the products really are superior to cheaper goods. No celebrity endorsement would persuade me to buy anything. If a star is wearing an item of clothing which I like, I will try to make myself something similar, but wouldn't ever be persuaded to buy it. The same goes for grocery items. I find the generic brands are excellent, and I take no notice of the advertisements or celebrity endorsements! - Annamargaret
  • You can also buy mining company shares on the ASX. Instead of putting your money in poker machines or deposit your money safely in one of the big 4 banks, you could also invest in an Australian mining company, maybe you'll get someof those dividends or maybe the mining company will go broke. That is the risk, if you don't want to take the risk then don't complain about those that do. - David mining investor
  • Celebrity endorsements are really nauseating. The Swisse one...goodness me..what a crock. My thirteen year old daughter watches it with incredulity knowing our Nic is botoxed up and it ain't vitamins that give her youthful looks. It's easy to portray peaceful whimsy if you can't move your face! It's so embarrassing. Mind you I'm a bit of a non-conformist so celebrity endorsements just make me feel contrary! - Rebe
  • Just remembered, I have fallen foul of the 'celebrity endorsement,' once ... when I was about 16/17. I lived on TAB for about a year after watching a then unknown Elle McPherson come out of the surf and not do a panicked scramble for her beach towel. First time, last time. And the product worked. I was divinely thin, a bit of my hair fell out from malnutrition but there's always a compromise, right? - Gee
  • Don't watch ads but I saw the big photo of Brad Pitt at the perfume counter in David Jones and wondered what he was doing there LOL - Rhoda
  • Citing either The Australia Institute or the Greens as a fact-checker is precarious given that they are committed to either the winding down or closure of mining. An August 2011 analysis by the Reserve Bank of Australia calculates that through direct labour costs (around 10 per cent of total mining operational revenue), the mining industry’s demand for domestically sourced intermediate inputs especially services (perhaps around 25 per cent of total revenue), tax and royalty payments (close to 15 per cent of total revenue in recent years), and the share of the after-tax profits owned by Australian residents (around 5–10 per cent of total revenue) suggests that overall, Australian residents accrued a little over half of the total receipts earned from current mining operations. This finding is consistent with the actual company data for spending across Queensland that can be found at www.queenslandeconomy.com.au. - Gary Doggett
  • So true Carole/m, and wasn't it nice to know that Gina was in Parliament with all the 'rent-a-crowd' on Thursday night to cheer on Rupert's boy Tony. I wonder if Gina provided the champers for the dinner afterwards to celebrate his "brilliant" speech. Seems the exhilaration ended badly for Peta Credlin. - JoanneH
  • Nice try Lynda , just a couple of problems looming for " Ruperts Boy" . He's about to find himself in court with compliments of David Etteridge & if he's got the guts to hold himself to his own standards, he'll have to stand down . Wouldn't want to have his tainted vote in the Parliament would we. Brough , Pyne , Bishop , Hockey and others are about to be investigated regarding the Ashby Conspiracy . So much for corruption . - Carole/m
 
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Categories:  News and Opinion

BLACK CAVIAR, YOUR MAJESTY!

By Helen Thomas
June 22, 2012

The big mare won it by a few strides and showed the world why she’s the best sprinter on the planet!

Before Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and more than 75,000 racegoers, Black Caviar kept her perfect race record intact and showcased her extraordinary talents with a brilliant win in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Trainer Peter Moody was overwhelmed with pride when the Queen made her made her way down to the mounting yard to meet him, jockey Luke Nolen and Black Caviar herself after the race.

“It’s just an ubelievable feeling to be standing here,” Moody said.

“This is something I never thought I would experience, meeting the Queen, it was quite overwhelming. As we all know, Her Majesty is a horse lover.

“It was a meeting of the two Queens of Australia.”

Black Caviar has now won all 22 of her races, including 12 at Group 1 level, and more than $6 million prizemoney.

She has the longest, unbeaten start to a race career in more than 150 years – her sequence of 22 successive wins equals the Australian record of Queensland bush gallopers, Sava Jet and Miss Petty, and 12 Group 1 wins is the most by an Australian-trained mare.

Here, our racing writer, Helen Thomas records the big build up to the race…

 It’s been quite a week for Australians at Royal Ascot.

The race meeting hosted annually by the Queen – that starts each day with her arrival at the head of the Royal Procession in an open, (white) horse-drawn carriage – has almost been hijacked by Australia’s Queen of the Turf, Black Caviar.

The unbeaten mare, who aims to stretch her winning streak to 22 on Sunday morning (our time), has won the hearts of not just seasoned racegoers in the UK and across Europe.

As in her homeland, the uninitiated have also been swept up in the excitement that surrounds her.

And why not? She is the fastest horse in the world, the best sprinter on the planet, a thoroughbred who takes such huge strides as she gallops that she seems somehow to be travelling languidly, almost in slow motion.

Gliding on grass.

Her name at home is “Nelly” and she is a big, powerful girl.

But trainer Peter Moody has nonetheless described her as delicate in the lead up to this weekend’s 1200 metre Diamond Jubilee Stakes, just as he cheekily suggested her jockey Luke Nolen might be allowed to ‘release the brakes’ in the race.

That has probably only happened once before, when the pair won the Group One Newmarket Handicap up the Flemington straight last year.

From the start of her career, Peter Moody has been her protector as much as her conditioner and as her winning tally grew, and her presence boosted crowds at race tracks around Australia and record after long-standing record fell away, he has been by her side, a lucky coin in hand.

The best athletes, he knows, need the best of care.

But after witnessing Frankel’s stunning performance at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, this usually-measured trainer was so moved by the young stallion’s achievement that he seemed at least to be contemplating an awesome possibility: letting Black Caviar fly.

Those in the know expect this won’t happen, especially as the rain comes to town and dampens the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee track.

But Frankel won the Queen Anne, the first race on Her Majesty’s card, by an arrogant 11 lengths and turned even the coolest of heads.

“I don’t think I’ve seen the equal of that performance, ever”, Moody told racing media on course that day. “It’s inspired me to maybe tell Luke to let the brakes off”.

He said this with a smile. Yet, almost as soon as he uttered the words, he tempered them.

“Whether this is the right place to do it after travelling three-quarters of the way around the world, I’m not sure, or convinced.

“We know we’ve got a wonderful horse, but she’s a fragile horse. Great athletes strain themselves enough without us putting added pressure on them.”

Whatever her jockey’s instructions are on Saturday when she makes her Royal debut, Black Caviar will be the last of the large Aussie contingent that has flown the flag at Ascot over the past few days.

Most Australians expect her to win her 22nd race in a row, and her perfect record of performance to remain intact. If this happens, it will be an extraordinary feat.

 

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  • Donald: There is no simple answer to the obfuscation caused by the mining industry. I doubt we will ever get the hard facts on t...

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  • Annie Also: "All of the companies doing the digging have historically paid royalties to the states. But these were woefully small wh...

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