As Indian mining giant Adani prepares to begin construction on the $21.7 billion projects from mid next year, the company has given a guarantee to the Queensland government it will hire local worker and not use 457 visas at its Carmichael mine.
Indian billionaire businessman Gautam Adani and the company’s Australia CEO Jeyakumar Janakraj held a meeting with Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in Townsville where the company will have its headquarters.
"I have got an iron-clad guarantee from Mr Adani that there will be no 457 visas as part of the workforce for this major project,” said Ms Palaszczuk.
“I have always made it clear the jobs from the Carmichael Coal project are for Queenslanders. I am pleased Mr Adani has committed to do just that.”
The project is expected to generate about 10,000 jobs over its lifespan of 50-60 years.
Mr Adani gave Ms Palaszczuk an assurance that he is committed to building a large solar farm in Murrumbah in coming years.
The Mackay-Bowen area would become the regional headquarters for its rail and port operations, however, Adani is yet to make a final decision on where the mine's fly-in, fly-out base would be.
The company will decide next year whether to establish the base in Townsville or Rockhampton.
Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan said the Adani project would give a boost to the economy in the region that would create jobs in other sectors as well.
"There will be more jobs for secretaries, lawyers, bankers, nurses because there will be more people here," Senator Canavan said.
The main construction work is expected to be underway by the last quarter of 2017.
Conservationists remain concerned about the contribution of burning fossil fuels to climate change and its knock-on effect on the Great Barrier Reef.
But Adani CEO Janakaraj said the project would have a net positive impact on climate change in the world.
He said India would have to source the coal it consumes from elsewhere if Australia did not supply the “high-quality, highly-sustainable” mining.
Mr Janakaraj said 60 per cent of Adani's energy mix would come from renewable sources and the protection of India's energy security would lift millions of people out of poverty.
But former deputy mayor Vern Veitch, who joined about 150 conservationists at a protest against the plans in Townsville, said Australia instead had a responsibility to show the world renewable energy was a better way to spend money.
"It's no different to supplying drugs," he said.
"If a drug dealer supplies drugs to an addict, he will take them.
For more news and updates, follow SBS Punjabi on Facebook.
