- abc.net.au / abbot-point-dredge-dump-site-worst-possible-for-environment
- townsvillebulletin.com.au / premier-campbell-newman-says-townsville-to-benefit-from-galilee-basin-development
Mr Newman visited the Pacific Marine Group workshop yesterday, and claimed the Adani Carmichel mega mine would create at least 2000 jobs in Townsville.
“The Galilee Basin project is now reality,” he said.
“It has started and progress has been made.
“Townsville, particularly, will benefit with around 2000 jobs in this important regional city.”
Labor’s candidate for Townsville Scott Stewart said there was no guarantee the jobs would be filled by locals.
“These workers they are looking for could come from anywhere in Australia, or the world, and there’s no guarantee they will come directly from Townsville,” he said.
And questions still remain whether the massive coal reserves in the Galilee Basin will be exploited, with the global slump in energy prices and a persistent campaign against carbon-based fuels from environmentalists.
The State Government has pledged to co-invest in the railway between the Basin and the Abbott Point coal port, expected to cost about $2.2 billion.
“The government has said already that we are prepared to make a small short-term investment to facilitate the Galilee basin for all parties who wish to participate,” Mr Newman said.
“Governments have traditionally invested in Queensland to facilitate new major coal and mineral resources.
“There’s nothing new here.”
Adani Australia chief executive Jeyankumary Janakaraj said he was confident of securing finance to build the $16 billion mega mine.
“It is a commercially viable project,” he said.
“We are sure that some partners will join with us.
“The project has to be built over a three year project and it is massive project
Mr Janakaraj said the State Government’s support was an important step in progressing the project.
“Government is a very key stakeholder as we all have very much to gain from this project,” he said.
“We always need strong partners.”
However, another hurdle to overcome is the endangered Australian painted snipe, as its habitat is where the Newman Government would prefer the dredge spoil to be dump on land, rather than near into Great Barrier Reef.
Premier Campbell Newman said the project had already been approved to dump off shore but he would prefer to see the on land option exercised.
“The project has already got an approval to dispose off shore,” he said.
“The action we have taken for a beneficial re-use is a far more environmentally responsible way to go.”
Pacific Marine Group managing director Terry Dodd said he was hoping to secure work from the establishment of the Adani mine.
“We are keen to get as much work as we can on the Adani project,” he said.
“It’s the biggest thing going around at the moment.”
Mr Stewart said it didn’t make sense to privatise assets and then use the funds to build new state-owned infrastructure.
“We are really concerned the LNP wants to lease public assets like railways to then build another railway,” he said.
“It doesn’t make much sense to me.”
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