Chief executive of Adani Australia Lucas Dow has lashed out at the Queensland state government over delays in clearing the way for the company’s mine in the state’s Galilee Basin.
The Indian mining conglomerate last year announced the construction of a “fully-funded” scaled-down mine – one-sixth of the initially announced $16.5 billion mine after failing to secure funding for it – but now faces further delays after a panel shot down its management plan to protect the habitat of rare black-throated finch.
The Queensland government, in December last year, referred the management plan to an external panel headed by Melbourne University ecologist Brendan Wintle.
Mr Dow said they didn’t have a prospect of getting a fair hearing and it came as no surprise that their plan was rejected.
“We are tremendously disappointed but not surprised. On many occasions we stated our grave concerns, particularly that the person that was charged with leading this so-called independent review – professor Brendan Wintle, he actually leads an organisation with individuals who had made anti-coal, anti-mining and anti-Adani statements in the past,” Mr Dow told SBS Punjabi.
“The draft report reads like an anti-coal, anti-mining, anti-Adani lobbying brochure than anything.”
While the company had announced it would begin construction of the scaled-down mine by the end of last year, Mr Dow did not commit to any time frame after the Wintle report came out.
The Greens are trying to goad federal Labor to block Adani's Carmichael coal mine in Queensland. (AAP) Source: AAP
“We have got certainty of time from both federal and local governments. The great unknown is the Queensland government at the moment. We are eagerly working and with a great deal of intensity to understand exactly what timetable they are working to. But to date, they are unwilling to commit which is obviously frustrating,” he said.
Earlier this month, Adani launched an ad blitz asking the Queensland Government to “stop moving the goal posts” and give the company a “fair go”.
Adani jobs
The company said “14,500 people who want to work for us” wanted the project to start. However, when questioned on the exact number of jobs the scaled-down mine would create, Mr Dow conceded it would create 1,500 direct jobs as opposed to the initial claims of 10,000 jobs.
“There will be further 6,750 indirect jobs flowing from our project. So we are talking, in total, another 8,250 jobs that otherwise wouldn’t exist in Queensland or in Australia,” Mr Dow said. He said the company has a target of having at least 7.5 per cent of all its workers from Indigenous communities.
“We have got the ‘Indigenous Participation Plan’ which provides for such things as minimum level of Indigenous employment,” he said.
“We have also partnered with the Wangan and Jagalingou people in terms of an environmental services contract and I'm actually pleased to announce that those folks will be starting on site next week in relation to environmental monitoring."
Adrian Burragubba (centre) from the Wangan and Jagalingou traditional owners. Source: AAP
However, the Wangan and Jagalingou Family Council is continuing its fight against what it calls “Adani’s sham Land Use Agreements” and said last month that a Federal Court challenge against it will go ahead.
Adani's environmental record
Adani has had a questionable environmental track record overseas and has twice had overflow from the Abbot Point Terminal of coal-laden water during the Queensland flood, sparking serious environmental concerns.
Mr Dow who was formerly with the BHP said the company is focusing on “improving” and ensuring they meet their environmental obligations.
“In those rare instances where we don’t get it right, we act with transparency and integrity, we identify what’s gone wrong and we fix it. We continue to strive to improve,” he told SBS Punjabi.
While environmental activist and former activist Bob Brown announced an anti-Adani march from Hobart to the coal port of Bowen in Queensland in April, the Greens upped the ante against the Indian mining giant with MP Adam Bandt introducing legislation that would prohibit new thermal coal mines in Galilee Basin.
Source: SBS News
Mr Bandt sought Labor's support saying the world is in the midst of a climate emergency and the basin is a "giant carbon bomb".
"The Labor Party could stop the Adani Carmichael coal mine today," Mr Bandt told parliament on Monday.
Adani Country Head Jeykumar Janakraj told SBS Punjabi last week that the company's coal mine that's facing stern opposition from environmental groups in Australia is "hugely beneficial" to the country and the climate change.
