THE ADANI PROJECT AND QUEENSLAND
On Tuesday Indian multinational conglomerate Adani Group announced construction would begin on the Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Project in June/ July 2017.
WHAT IS IT?
- A 45km open cut and underground coal mine in the Galillee Basin, including six open-cut pits and five underground mines
- It will be the largest coal mine in Australia and one of the biggest in the world
- Will operate for 50 to 60 years
WHAT'S THE RAIL LINE?
- Total of 389 kilometres of rail line to be built, including approximately 310km connecting the northern Galilee Basin to the Port of Abbot Point
- Coal trains to run 24/7
HOW MUCH MONEY IS INVOLVED?
- Adani is investing $21.7 billion
- Speculation $1 billion in loans will be provided under the federal government's independent Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility
- Construction to generate $78 million per annum in direct and indirect impacts on the Mackay regions and $203 million for Queensland as a whole
- Production to generate $176.6 million per year in Mackay region and $274.1 million for the state
- $5.5 billion in royalty/taxes in first 10 years
JOBS
- 10,000 jobs (direct/indirect) over the course of 25 years.
- Includes workers village with a capacity of up to 2000 beds.
- Adani plan to use driverless trucks to shift the coal.
- Adani say no 457 visas will be used
WHAT IS ADANI SAYING?
- Townsville to become Adani's regional mining headquarters
- Mackay-Bowen area to become regional headquarters for rail and port operations
- Townsville and Rockhampton shortlisted for fly-in, fly-out base
WHAT IS THE QLD GOVERNMENT SAYING?
- 200 "stringent" conditions on the project and a 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030
- $100 million in funding for protection, a ban on capital dredge spoil dumping and higher water quality targets
WHAT DO OPPONENTS AND ACTIVISTS CLAIM?
- Greens say mine will condemn Great Barrier Reef to worse bleaching
- Jeopardises 70,000 jobs associated with the reef
- The project affects four native title/Aboriginal party areas
- Government has ignored claims Adani Group overlooked ecological issues in India
- Project will destroy indigenous land rights
- Approving the coal mine is incompatible with Australia's commitment to the Paris Agreement to tackle climate change.
