Court of Appeal dismisses activist’s claim
QUEENSLAND Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the opening of the vast rich coal deposits in the Galilee Basin edged forward today with another dismissal of an activist’s challenge in the Court of Appeal.
The proceedings were brought against Adani’s Carmichael coal mine project and the State Government from a member of the Wangan and Jagalingou people over the granting of Adani’s mining lease.
"It’s no surprise the court action was dismissed as it is just another in the long line of vexatious legal suits that hold back regional economies. Ten local government areas across central and northern Queensland are desperate for the economic investment this project will generate," Mr Macfarlane said.
"For every year, the Adani Carmichael coal mine project is delayed, Queensland misses out on $185 million in royalties, which would pay for 2,900 extra nurses or 3,350 extra police officers or 3,400 extra teachers. Exporting resources helps to fund essential services and they are a significant driver of growth, in 2015/16 the industry contributed $55.7 billion to the state’s economy.
"The appeal by Adrian Burragubba is merely a tactic of the anti-coal brigade and is straight out of the activists’ playbook. It’s all about disrupting and delaying new projects in the hope that the investor will give up and walk away and in so doing, denying regional Queensland thousands of desperately needed jobs.
"With coal prices strong, we need to get this project out of the courts and into construction."
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