LOONY LEFTY LIMBO
Greenie Labor ministers plot to isolate Premier and kill off North’s Adani jobs bonanza
A SUSPECTED Labor Left faction revolt on royalties has put thousands of North Queensland jobs on the line after Adani put its $ 16.5 billion Carmichael mine investment on hold because State Cabinet failed to thrash out a deal.
Cabinet was to decide on royalties yesterday but no formal submission was made after Labor’s Left faction, beholden to the anti- coal Greens, voiced concerns about the potential to break promises not to provide taxpayer funds to the project.
The delay comes as Deputy Premier Jackie Trad continues to refuse to state if she supports the Central Queensland coal mine.
Mayor Jenny Hill last night said if the mine did not proceed, the North would be set back 50 years.
A SUSPECTED Labor Left faction revolt on royalties has put thousands of North Queensland jobs on the line after Adani put its $ 16.5 billion Carmichael mine investment on hold because State Cabinet failed to thrash out a deal.
Cabinet was to decide on royalties for the miner yesterday but no formal submission was made after Labor’s Left faction voiced concerns about the potential to break election promises not to provide taxpayer funds to the project.
The delay comes as Deputy Premier Jackie Trad continues to avoid questions about whether she supports the Central Queensland coal mine.
Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls last night accused Labor of pandering to its Left faction, led by Ms Trad, which is aligned with The Greens.
Adani spokesman Ron Watson said there was no “formal submission and no formal decision” on royalties yesterday.
“Adani has therefore decided to defer its board’s consideration of the final investment decision,” he said. “That is the step which gives the board’s formal tick of approval to proceed – in effect we are waiting for the Government’s decision to move forward.”
It is understood Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk called an emergency meeting with senior bureaucrats last night following the announcement.
Mayor Jenny Hill said if the Adani project failed, it would set the state back 50 years.
“If some people who live in coffee- sipping inner- Brisbane think that they’re going to destroy the rest of Queensland, they have a huge fight on their hands,” she said. “Every mayor who went on the trip to India with the Premier understands the importance of this project for job creation and understands the project’s importance for Australia’s reputation.
“What concerns me is the under treasurer, Jim Murphy, was with us on the trip to eyeball the board and there’s no doubt that we all understood he was there to talk to them ( Adani) about a range of things including royalties.
“The coffee- sipping people need to get out of their box and come see the problems we have in North Queensland.”
Mr Nicholls said thousands of regional Queensland jobs were being put on the line.
“Billions of dollars of investment may go begging,” he said.
“Annastacia and her Cabinet only had one job to do yesterday and that was to fight for Queensland jobs – to fight for investment in Queensland and they have hopelessly failed.
“The Adani board was to have met next Monday, this is a complete consequence of doing nothing. Only one job was protected today and that was Jackie Trad’s. It begs the question whether they do support it.
“Any government would be able to make a decision if they supported this investment. Adani have been led up the garden path and abandoned at the altar.”
Ms Palaszczuk said her government supported jobs.
“I think that as a government we can look very clearly at trying to open up the Galilee and the southwest province,” she said. “That’s what Queenslanders want. They want to be able to put food on the table and pay the bills.
“Every single dollar owed will be paid ( royalties), that’s my promise.
“Our main focus today was on the budget, focused on infrastructure and jobs.”
Townsville MP Scott Stewart said nothing had changed.
“We’re in no different a position as what we were last week but what we need to do is make sure people understand the necessity of this jobs agenda in North Queensland,” he said.
“I’m certainly talking at every opportunity around the importance of this. I have spoken to a number of people down here including the Minister of Mining and Natural Resources.”
Mundingburra MP Coralee O’Rourke said she was supportive of Adani, “and the jobs it will bring to Townsville and North Queensland”.
“My support for the project has not and will not change,” Ms O’Rourke said last night.
ADANI HAVE BEEN LED UP THE GARDEN PATH AND ABANDONED AT THE ALTAR LNP LEADER TIM NICHOLLS