Queensland is under renewed pressure to spend less on mining and more on schools and hospitals as its fledging Labor government prepares to deliver its first budget.
The Australia Institute on Monday released a report criticising Queensland for investing billions of dollars more in mining than any other state while under-funding social infrastructure.
But the report, similar to one released this time last year, has been labelled a "recycled sham" by the state's peak mining body.
The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) claims the "anti-mining" institute has used a recent report from the Queensland Competition Authority as an excuse to dust off "shonky" mining subsidies research from 2014.
The Australia Institute, which describes itself as an independent think tank, cites government finance figures in its new report that show Queensland poured $9.5 billion into the mining and fossil fuel extraction from 2008 to 2014, $3.3 billion more than Western Australia.
It says Queensland's public schools are facing a $268 million maintenance backlog and the state will need about 110 new schools in the next 15 years.
The Australia Institute executive director Richard Denniss said the report highlighted the great expense of the mining industry, which was failing to deliver returns, and suggested Queensland's budget priorities were out of sync with the rest of the country.
Mr Denniss urged the government to consider the report's findings before handing down its budget on July 14.
"No matter what happens, Queensland's children will benefit from a great education," he said.
"But whether or not the world wants a lot more coal or any other mining products in 20 years' time, well that's a bet the private sector should make."
The mining sector produced fewer jobs per million dollars than almost any other industry, the report said.
But the QRC says the analysis is based on a distorted understanding of the public sector accounting and doesn't factor in mining royalties.
"We note that the sector's direct revenue contribution to governments in Australia from company tax and royalties alone exceeded $40 billion over the two years to June 2014," QRC deputy chief executive Greg Lane said.
The report's methodology is "deeply flawed", a spokeswoman for Natural Resources Minister Anthony Lynham said.
"Government co-expenditure on resource exploration helps to find the deposits, developments, jobs and royalty revenue of tomorrow," she said.
"The industry produces around $36 billion in output annually and supports one in five jobs direct and indirectly. The $2.5 billion paid annually in royalties will help to put teachers in classrooms and nurses and doctors in hospitals in next month's budget."
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