Jobs on the line over Labor’s Adani games

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto has called on the State Labor Government to stop playing games with people’s livelihoods and get on with approving Adani’s proposed Carmichael Mine. PICTURE: Budd Photography

THE State Labor Government is “playing games with people’s livelihoods” over the fate of Adani’s proposed Carmichael Mine, says Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto.

After yesterday’s Federal Government approval of Adani’s Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Management Plan, Mr Dametto said the fate of thousands of jobs was hanging in the balance with the State Government yet to give final approvals.

“There are thousands of North Queenslanders who are desperate for work that a project like Adani can provide,” he said.

“But we are waiting on the Department of Environment and Science to approve the groundwater management plan and a last minute external review of Adani’s black-throated finch management plan.

“The shifting of the goalposts on this project by Labor is keeping people unemployed, pure and simple.”
Mr Dametto said it beggared belief that the State Government was yet to give the green light to Adani, despite the company obtaining over 112 approvals for its project through an incredibly rigorous approval process lasting eight years.

“Labor needs to stop taking North Queenslanders for granted or face oblivion at the ballot box come election time. People have long memories up here and will not cop being ruled by a government that is beholden to green lobbyists in the south-east corner,” he said.

“I think people have every right to question why Townsville’s three Labor MPs, Scott Stewart, Aaron Harper and Coralee O’Rourke, are so unwilling to stand up for our region and tell their Brisbane counterparts to get on with approving the mine.

“The militant vegan protestors and anti-Adani activists are one and the same – a noisy minority. They should realise that not only is beef consumption set to rise globally by 50 per cent over the next 10 years but the world’s demand for coal seems to be growing exponentially. I am not denying there is a place for renewable energy but there will be a need for beef and coal for many years to come and especially for clean, high quality Australian coal.”

Mr Dametto, a fitter/boilermaker by trade with 10 years experience in the mining and construction industry, said he understood the significant financial benefits mining had brought to the Townsville region “better than anyone else”.

He added that Katter’s Australian Party was broadly supportive of mining in the Galilee Basin including the Adani project, which could potentially deliver more than 1500 direct jobs at the mine and thousands of indirect jobs to both Central and North Queensland.

“Our party always puts regional Queensland first,” Mr Dametto said.