Palaszczuk government is set to grant a water licence for Adani to suck millions of litres of groundwater for its mega-polluting Carmichael Coal Mine in secret.
The Courier-Mail has reported today that the Palaszczuk government is set to grant a water licence for Adani to suck millions of litres of groundwater for its mega-polluting Carmichael Coal Mine in secret.
“The Queensland Government have created one rule for Adani and a different set of rules for everyone else when it comes to managing groundwater.” said ACF Healthy Ecosystems Campaigner Basha Stasak.
“This is a secret decision to prop up a mine that will help destroy the Reef and the 70,000 Queensland jobs that rely on it. A secret decision to prop up a mine that no one else will fund because it is too risky and dangerous for the climate.
“The fact that these water licences have been assessed and approved in secret by the Palaszczuk Government makes a mockery of democratic and transparent decision making.”
“The Carmichael Coal Mine will use a massive amount of groundwater, peaking at more than 9,000 ML per year, equivalent to more than 3,600 olympic swimming pools, according to its own studies.”
“This water is a public resource and the rent seeking behaviour of this mine is astounding.
“They are already pushing the federal government for a dodgy a $1 billion dollar taxpayer handout from the public through the Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility, a process which has been equally clouded in secrecy.”
“Recent lessons from NSW and its Independent Commission Against Corruption highlight the dangers of politicians becoming too close to the mining industry, and putting their own interests above that of the community,” said Ms Stasak.
Amendments moved to the Water Act by the Queensland Government in November 2016 exempted Adani’s water licences from any form of public scrutiny.
“They are now rent seeking for free water at the expense of other users,” said Ms Stasak.
“This water would have supported life in regional Queensland. From keeping rivers and aquifers healthy, to supporting agriculture and providing habitat for threatened species.
“This decision by the Queensland Government ignores the needs of those other users”.
