The new head of the Minerals Council says the business sector is wary of promises from both major political parties in the lead-up to the federal election.

Minerals Council of Australia CEO Andrew Michelmore says lines will change following the vote, and Australia may not know who it has really elected until it is too late.

In an radio interview this week Mr Michelmore said: “We need to let the dust settle, see one party get in with a very clear majority and then I think we'll see some sense come to what does that package look like... I've seen it before with many elections, where lots of things are said and then when the government actually gets in and they look at it and they say 'forget all that, this is what we actually have to do'.”

The chairman of the Chinese-controlled mining group MMG says he is waiting to see if he will be invited for talks after the election is settled, and would welcome the chance to speak to either side, saying “we'd like to sit down and have those discussions with the appropriate party so that we can actually work in the interests of Australia rather than trying to pitch battles between different areas.”

With no end in sight for the stream of rhetoric from any political party, the main thrust of the MCA chairman's point seems to encouraging people to remain constantly watchful of the difference between political promises and delivery in the years between elections.