In fact, Diggers has not been this political since Julie Bishop’s visit in 2010 – at the height of the campaign against the mining tax.

Despite Diggers chairman Barry Eldridge saying he would not be making comment on the government this year, he could not help but take a few swipes in his opening address.

“In previous years, I have been somewhat vocal in my opinion, albeit a negative opinion, as to how well-supported our industry has been by our federal government leaders,” he said.

“Soon we shall be granted the opportunity to express our gratitude for the work that the government has done over the past 5-6 years and I most certainly am looking forward to registering my level of satisfaction for the job they have done (or not) with remarkable enthusiasm.

“Revolving leadership in the government in the last 5-6 years has not resulted in new friends for the resources industry, the players have just gone through a rotation and the policies remain the same.”

National Party Senator Barnaby Joyce flew in for the first day of the conference, holding a media conference with Senator Fiona Nash and Nationals candidate for O’Connor Chub Witham.

The Nationals’ Wendy Duncan was also in attendance.

Joyce said he made the trip to Western Australia to support Witham, as well as to drive home the party message of supporting regional Australia.

“The future of regional Australia is completely tied to our capacity to repay our debts,” he said.

“Therefore, it’s incredibly important for regional Australia that the National Party is strongly represented in a future government – and obviously we hope for a Coalition win.”

Joyce said he supported incentives to the struggling exploration sector.

“If you don’t have a good prospecting policy, you don’t have a good mining policy,” he said.

“If we don’t get the prospecting right then you’re living on the belief that the Super Pit will get even bigger and that’s not reality.”

The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies has proposed a flow-through tax scheme called the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit.

Eldridge urged delegates to support the initiative.

“This is a different initiative from the flow-through tax plan that has previously been promoted and surely deserves consideration from our leaders,” he said in his opening address.

“Simon Bennison, CEO of AMEC, is at Diggers and we encourage you to engage with him and assist where you can the AMEC team to develop momentum for this initiative.”

Meanwhile, Melbourne-based consultancy Surbiton Associates hit out at the Greens’ plans to increase taxation on multinational miners.

“Such policies are a real concern,” Surbiton director Dr Sandra Close said.

“It is obvious the Greens haven’t a clue how this industry works and have no idea of the drastic effect such policies could have.”

Close said the Greens needed to stop viewing the mining sector as a cash cow, fearing the attitude would drive more miners overseas.

“The Greens must understand that mining is an international business and the money will flow to where the risk-return ratio seems most attractive,” she said.

Despite Diggers traditionally being a politics-free zone, delegates welcomed the election announcement.

Northern Star Resources managing director Bill Beament said his main concern was consistency.

“I’m not fussed what side it as long as we know who it is and what we’re dealing with,” he said on the sidelines of Diggers yesterday.

“There’s just so much uncertainty and it cuts to the core of investor confidence and business confidence.

“I want a stable government that doesn’t tinker with things.”