Is the mining tax Labor's version of Work Choices?

Anyone else getting a sense of deja vu? In the lead up to the 2007 federal election John Howard's Coalition dug its heels in on Work Choices, refusing to moderate some of its more hard-hitting components. In doing so they awakened a slightly sleepy giant, the union movement, who spent millions of dollars opposing the Coalition on that one issue. The Coalition in turn authorised millions of dollars of 'government' advertising in support of Work Choices.

Three years later and Kevin Rudd's ALP appears to have dug its heels in on the mining super profit tax and, at this stage, is refusing to moderate the more controversial components. Another slightly sleepy giant has been awakened, this time the mining industry, and a faintly reminiscent advertising campaign costing millions of dollars is in full swing, opposing the ALP on this one issue. And you guessed it, the ALP has in turn authorised millions of dollars of 'government' advertising in support of the tax. 

In politics, history always repeats (no one learns their lesson the first time...) But it remains to be seen if the election outcome - the tossing out of the incumbent, will also follow suit.