Following a public outcry over Rio Tinto detonating explosives near sites dating back more than 46,000 years, BHP announced that it would not disturb its sites without further consultation with the Banjima people, the traditional landowners at its South Flank mine. Liberal National Party senator Matt Canavan immediately took to Twitter, arguing the Banjima people wanted the mine to proceed in order to create jobs in the area. "This is the problem with a witch hunt," he tweeted. "It always ends in an over-reaction. Mining employs Indigenous people at a greater rate than any other industry. You don't help Indigenous people by stopping mining."

While the mining industry, as a proportion of its workforce, employs Indigenous people at the highest rate, it's important to note that many more Indigenous Australians work in other sectors of the economy. According to census data, Indigenous Australians account for 3.8 per cent of the mining workforce, well above the average of 1.7 per cent for all industries.

Mining employs a greater proportion of Indigenous workers than other industries, but its capital intensity belies its importance. The next highest workforce representations of Indigenous people are in public administration (2.8 per cent) and in a category called "other services" (2.1 per cent). However, while mining employs 6,652 Indigenous Australians, nearly four times that number work in healthcare and social assistance (26,178). Almost 20,000 Indigenous people also work in public administration and safety, and 17,176 in education and training. Although the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) cautions that the census may undercount the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, experts said it was still the most reliable means of assessing Indigenous employment.One expert also noted that although mining is a major employer of Indigenous people, increasing automation in the industry posed a greater risk to Indigenous jobs than stricter rules around protecting cultural heritage.

Verdict: Yes, but more to it