Some of Australia’s top energy and resources leaders including BHP’s Mike Henry, Lynas Rare Earths’ Amanda Lacaze and Santos’ Kevin Gallagher say the threat to investment posed by higher interest rates is being compounded by rising costs, activism and unfriendly government policies that could push capital offshore.

“In addition to capital costs going up, policy changes at both the federal and state level are exacerbating the problem by creating further cost increases and greater investment risk. These will be a negative for business investment in Australia,” Mr Henry told The Australian Financial Review’s annual Chanticleer CEO Poll.