WHAT A BUNCH OF HYPOCRITICAL LYING LOW LIFES. Xstrata preparing work at 'shelved' Ernest Henry project, says minister From: AAP June 12, 2010 1:41PM. XSTRATA has been accused of misleading Australians over the impact of the proposed super-profits tax after signing a contract for work on a project the company said had been shelved. The mining giant has signed a $3.4 million mining services contract with another company to manage a copper tailings facility at its Ernest Henry copper mine in Queensland. The contract was signed last week on the same day the Anglo-Swiss company said it was suspending operations at the mine because of the impact of the resource super-profits tax (RSPT). Federal Small Business Minister Craig Emerson said the move raised questions about Xstrata's true intentions, adding that the company had misled Australians about the impact of the RSPT on its operations. "This is simply more evidence that Xstrata is engaging in a campaign of misinformation designed to scare the local communities around the Ernest Henry mine," Dr Emerson said. "It is irresponsible behaviour and the company must be held to account." Xstrata is one of a number of major resources companies that have sent a letter to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd demanding more "genuine" consultation and significant changes to the tax. The letter, also signed by senior executives from BHP and Rio Tinto, warned "every day the uncertainty over the tax is allowed to continue, greater damage occurs to Australia's national economic interest". Xstrata last week said the RSPT plan had prompted it to immediately cut 60 sub-contractor jobs at the Ernest Henry mine and shelve other projects. The development comes as the fallout over the RSPT intensified with another damaging poll for the government and calls from within Labor ranks for Mr Rudd to be dumped. A poll published in Western Australia on Saturday shows Labor's primary vote in the state has slumped to 26 per cent, its lowest level on record.