So Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest of Fortescue Metals wants an inquiry into why Big Miners such as Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton are selling iron ore so readily at these currently depressed prices.

Is it to get rid of the smaller players, such as Fortescue, he asks?

Let’s have an inquiry then, says Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Let’s not, say the Big Miners.

OK, let’s not, says the Prime Minister.

That’s redolent of the necessary RSPT mining tax morphing into the worthless MRRT mining tax in a backroom deal with former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, isn’t it?

Er, so who’s running this country, guys? It certainly doesn’t look like it’s our prime ministers!

But wasn’t that you standing up on the back of a flatbed truck with another mining billionaire, Gina Rinehart, crying poormouth, Twiggy?

Anyway, it was very heartening seeing Katharine Murphy on the ABC’s “Insiders” this morning using the correct term for miners trying to retain their super-profits in the exploitation of OUR natural resources – she used the term “rent-seeking”.

But the show’s host, Barrie Cassidy–using the same term for the first time?–suggested that it’s not just the big boys, but the third party seeking relief (Fortescue) which is also a “rent-seeker”.

Correct, Barrie!

Now maybe “Insiders” will continue putting the finger on ALL of Australia’s rent-seekers, if they wish to analyse properly why the economy is collapsing into a heap?