Make call on Adani

OUR federal Labor MP Cathy O’Toole has proven that she can take quick and decisive action.

In my letter ( TB 27/ 09), I challenged Ms O’Toole on her newly found Defence policies and her and Labor’s lack of commitment to properly fund Defence.

I criticised the fact that Ms O’Toole’s new Defence policies’ local advertisements were coming out of Labor’s National Office in Canberra.

Her local political ads were showing “Authorised by Cathy O’Toole Australian Labor Party 5/ 9 Sydney Avenue Barton ACT”.

When the same political Defence ad reappeared in the paper on Thursday, just one week later, the authorisation had been changed to “Authorised by Cathy O’Toole Australian Labor Party 340 Ross River Road, Cranbrook 4814”, albeit in much smaller print.

Whilst perhaps a relatively minor issue, it shows that Ms O’Toole can act quickly and decisively.

I acknowledge that it may have been Labor’s National Office in Canberra that changed the ad, but I will graciously grant Ms O’Toole the benefit of any doubt.

Now knowing that you, Ms O’Toole, can act quickly and decisively, will you please tell us if you support the Adani project?

No more sidesteps, no more excuses, just state if you are for or against the Adani project.

In February, Labor leader Bill Shorten gave his unequivocal assurance to environmentalist and past president of the Australian Conservation Foundation Geoff Cousins that if Labor won the federal election, he would use Section 145 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act ( EPBC) to kill off the Adani project.

Under this Act, Mr Shorten would be able to claim that the existing environmental approvals must be revoked as new environmental information has come to hand.

The Queensland Environmental Defenders’ Office has advised Mr Shorten that such a revocation on claimed new environmental grounds would not trigger a sovereign risk issue, or leave the Government exposed to a compensation claim by Adani.

Labor, Mr Shorten and Ms O’Toole are attempting to play Queenslanders for fools.

They believe that if they dodge the Adani question, people will vote for them falsely believing that Labor will allow Adani to proceed, whilst the Greens and those opposed to Adani will also vote for Labor on the well- founded belief that Mr Shorten will use Section 145 of the EPBC Act to kill off Adani.

Ms O’Toole, you made your first decision by changing your Defence political advertisement. Will you make a second and tell the people of Townsville, Bowen and Queensland the truth as to your position on Adani? Q: Are you for Adani? A: YES or NO. BARRY LOWE,

Kirwan.