Australia is a rich country that is growing richer each year. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is now more than $1 trillion per annum. The Greens believe that the role of government is to ensure economic activity is sustainable. For example, much is made of the importance of the coal mining industry to Australia's economy, but it contributes less than 1% of GDP. Fast growing sectors such as the IT industry hardly existed in Australia a decade ago, yet employment in IT already dwarfs the 22,000 people employed in mining coal.