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For the resources sector as a whole, royalties can ‘underprice’ the extraction of non‐renewable resources — which are owned by the community. As royalties are relatively unresponsive to changes in resource profits, the community has largely missed out on sharing in the vast wealth generated from the sale of Australia’s non‐renewable resources.
Royalties tax high profit projects proportionately less and low profit projects proportionally more, thus distorting the pattern of investment. This may mean some of the more risky deposits, or those that are more costly to develop, are not pursued. It may also lead to the early closure of resource projects. This affects how much of Australia’s resources are utilised, and the return available to be collected through resource charges. This can lower the return to the community collected through its resource charges