These events are, of course, related to one another and are really different sides of the same coin. It is worth noting that these developments have not led to unusually large shifts in the industry structure of employment, and they are unlikely to do so.
While employment in the mining sector has increased by around 70,000 people, or 40 per cent, over the past couple of years, its share of total employment is still low and the mining boom will not change the fact that the vast bulk of Australians work in the services sector.