Julia Gillard's ascension to the prime ministership hopefully represents an opportunity to "start afresh" with the mining industry, according to Atlas Iron managing director David Flanagan.
The iron ore boss, who has been an outspoken critic of the Rudd government's proposed resource super profits tax, said despite Ms Gillard's membership of the so-called "kitchen Cabinet" which devised the tax, the change presented a chance to resolve the impasse over the tax.
"In my dealings with the government, I've seen most of the passion (for the tax) coming out of the prime minister's office," Mr Flanagan told WA Business News.
"So I hope that now there is an opportunity to open up the whole tax.
"I don't expect them (the government) to buckle at the knees but ... change provides an opportunity to look at things afresh."
Mr Flanagan said he had never met with Ms Gillard but had already made preliminary enquiries about making contact.
If she was interested in holding fresh negotiations with the industry, "I'm available", he said.
Speaking to the media this morning, Ms Gillard said she would be cancelling the government's controversial $38 million pro-tax advertising campaign and asked the mining industry to do the same.
