Aug 3, 2026 – 5.18pmFormer federal treasurer Joe Hockey has backed a plan for Australian miners to work together against China’s strong-arm tactics on iron ore pricing, supporting a proposal put to Canberra that would alleviate pressure on the nation’s most valuable export.Speaking on the sidelines of Kalgoorlie’s annual Diggers and Dealers Mining Forum, Hockey backed the use of methods to help Australian miners best deal with the rise of the China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG), China’s centralised buyer that has embarked on a sabre-rattling campaign to cut iron ore prices.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles