Mine now proving its worth

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a bomb to the economy of Townsville and the nation.

Yesterday Treasurer Josh Frydenberg revealed what will all already knew, that we are now in a recession.

For the first time in nearly 30 years the country’s economy has contracted, forcing the Federal Government to introduce measures to soften the blow and help save jobs in the economy.

The good news for Townsville and North Queensland is that a massive campaign to push for the Adani coal mine before the last federal election worked.

Back then Adani, fighting against an anti-mine green agenda, promised jobs, thousands of them, if the mine was given the green light.

The naysayers said there would be hardly any jobs given to locals and urged the Government to say no.

Thankfully commonsense prevailed and Adani won the right to open up the Bowen Basin.

Yesterday, the promises made by

Adani were honoured awarding the construction company BMD a contract worth $350 million to work on the mine’s rail project.

Adani Mining chief executive Lucas Dow said the firm remained on track to create more than 1500 direct jobs during the construction and ramping up of the project some further 6750 indirect jobs.

BMD group executive director Scott Power said his company supported regional jobs through infrastructure projects.

“At a time when jobs across the country are hard to come by, this project is generating much-needed employment opportunities for locals and locally based suppliers in North and Central Queensland,” he said. “The award of this contract is recognition of the capability and capacity of Australian contractors.”

No one could have predicted the COVID-19 pandemic but the Adani project will go a long way to insulate the Townsville economy from the looming depression.