International concern about RSPT

Premier Colin Barnett says he's received serious complaints from the chairmen of three international companies about the federal government's proposed resource super profits tax.

"In the last 10 days I have had, if you like almost formal complaints from the chairman of one of Japan's biggest companies, from the chairman of one of America's biggest companies and the chairman of one of China's biggest organisations," Mr Barnett told 6PR.

Mr Barnett said they were complaining about sovereign risk and the threat of higher taxes on their shares in mining projects.

They were also extremely concerned about the "security of supply of natural resources from Western Australia," he said.

"I have never experienced that in 20 years in public life," the Premier said.

Mr Barnett said he did not want to be overly dramatic about the impact of the tax.

However he said, "I've talked to businesses that have hired employees from the eastern states and some cases said basically I'm not going to bring them over. I've stopped the appointments."