We celebrate the Queensland Government’s decision not to facilitate any NAIF public money for Adani coal infrastructure.
The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) is celebrating the Queensland Government’s decision not to facilitate any NAIF public money for Adani coal infrastructure, but says until the Turnbull government rules it out there are still serious concerns for public money, the climate and the Reef.
“The thousands of Australians fighting to stop Adani can celebrate this, but we haven’t stopped the mine yet. Until Malcolm Turnbull gets with the program and rules out public money being wasted on a Reef destroying coal mine we won’t be giving up,” ACF CEO Kelly O’Shanassy said.
“The Queensland Government’s refusal to receive NAIF money for Adani is a breakthrough for Australians standing up for a safe climate. This decision puts the issue of public funding for this climate destroying coal project squarely at the feet of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
“However the decision to continue special treatment for coal by deferring the payment of royalties for up to five years isn’t good enough, particularly in the wake of news that up to half of the Great Barrier Reef may be dead.
“The age of special treatment for coal is over. Any assistance for developing new coal and gas projects in the Galilee, Surat and North West Basins is a direct threat to the climate, the Reef and the 70,000 Australian jobs that rely on it.
“If we want to keep a safe climate and a healthy Reef new coal and gas projects simply can’t go ahead. That governments could be complicit in this and use public money to make sure it happens is beyond comprehension.
“The decision to delay royalties means we’re right back to where we started on giving away free coal. This is still special treatment by the Palaszczuk government to make this mine a reality.”
