Australia on Tuesday agreed to scrap a contested resources profits tax after the government struck a surprise deal with crossbench senators, including mining tycoon Clive Palmer. The Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) was introduced by the previous Labor administration in 2012, with a levy on annual profits above 70 million dollars on iron ore and coal at a rate of 30%.
The world's top economies have embraced a goal of generating more than 2 trillion dollars in additional output over five years while creating tens of millions of new jobs, while also promising more transparency in monetary policy to allay the concerns of emerging economies.
A widespread slowdown in global economic productivity is threatening to usher in a new low-growth era, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has warned.