15 years of boom ahead: BHP boss

Global demand for resources will soar by up to 75 per cent over the next 15 years, but Australia faces fierce competition from rival nations, the BHP Billiton boss says.

In his first public speech in Australia since becoming chief executive in May, Andrew Mackenzie was upbeat about the industry's prospects, in contrast to comments by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that the good times and China's strong growth were over.

Australia was one of only a handful of countries that could deliver the volumes of resources Asia required for its economic growth, Mr Mackenzie told a business lunch in Melbourne yesterday.

But the country's productivity and competitiveness were not strong enough if it wanted to be delivering those resources, he said.

While acknowledging miners had to do their bit, Mr Mackenzie also called on governments to rise to the challenge.

"We must all get sharper at productivity," he said.

"(Government's) role is to provide efficient regulatory systems, foreign, fiscal and trade policies that encourage stability, and open markets," Mr Mackenzie said. "And a modern industrial relations framework that draws employees and employers on to the same page so that all sign up to a team that wants to win."

BHP had cut its costs, producing more in less time, he said.

The fiercest competition to Australia's resources industry included China's low-cost coking coal, which was used to make steel, Mr Mackenzie said.

Thermal energy coal from the US, liquefied natural gas from the US, Canada and Africa, and copper from Chile and Peru were also competing against Australia.

Mr Mackenzie also highlighted the amount of tax BHP pays, after a High Court challenge to the controversial mining tax was dismissed.

BHP was Australia's biggest taxpayer, Mr Mackenzie said, dismissing Rio Tinto's claim to the title.

BHP paid $US9 billion ($10 billion) in tax in 2011-12, he said, with about 70 per cent of BHP's profit coming from Australia.

AAP