The Queensland Government Is Suddenly Very Keen To Get The Adani Mine Going

After years of sitting on the fence, Queensland’s Labor government suddenly seems very keen to get the ball rolling on the Adani group’s controversial Carmichael coal mine, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declaring she is “fed up” with the delays and directing the state’s Coordinator-General to oversee the approvals process for the project.

Speaking on Wednesday, Palaszczuk told reporters that “enough is enough”.

“I think that the community is fed up with the processes, I know I’m fed up with the processes, I know my local members are fed up with the processes,” Palaszczuk said.

“We need some certainty and we need some timeframes,” she added.

Palaszczuk’s newfound enthusiasm for Adani comes in the wake of her party’s dire performance in the federal election. Labor was practically wiped out in the sunshine state, with a number of observers attributing this to the party’s unclear position on the mine. The mining giant has repeatedly claimed the project will generate 10,000 jobs in Queensland, although that number has been disputed, including by the company’s own economist.

As for the processes she’s apparently fed up with, those are environmental management plans, one involving the use of groundwater at the mine site, and the other concerning the habitat of the black-throated finch. The Queensland government had previously said the Department of Environment and Science would not be rushed, but I guess that’s before they got their arses handed to them on Saturday night.

It’s not as though Palaszczuk’s sudden change of heart has won her many new supporters, either. Federal Resources Minister and big-time Adani stan Matt Canavan responded to her announcement by saying that “if the Premier today says she is fed up with the lack of progress with Adani, the Premier needs to answer, how long has she been fed up with her own government?” Sick burn, Matty.

Watching Palaszczuk all but declare support for Adani days after the election – all I can hear is “we couldn’t beat them, so we joined them”. I’m genuinely sorry to every progressive who’s ever supported or stood by the Labor party. You deserved better.

— Emerald Moon (@emeraldxmoon) May 22, 2019

Opponents of the mine have been even more scathing in their assessment. Federal Greens Senator Jordan Steele-John accused the state government of “hitting the panic button” and called the mine “a disaster for our planet and for our future”.

Olivia Hill, AYCC Campaigns Director and young Queenslander says Palaszczuk has a choice to make. “Side with the big coal bullies, or with young people who just want a safe climate future and clean, reliable jobs in Queensland.

Hill says the processes laid out by the Environmental Regulator are designed “to protect our water and beautiful places from rampant corporations with no regard for the impact of their operations.”

“Adani can’t be trusted, they have already been caught out lying about jobs numbers and polluting wetlands — they can’t be allowed to manipulate our politicians and take shortcuts in the approvals process that should protect our environment and precious water.”

Palaszczuk has indicated she will release a timeline for the Adani approval process by the end of the week. Because when it comes to selling out your ideals and your planet, there really is no time like the present.