Queensland govt supports Adani’s $16.5-bn Charmichael coal project

A DAY AFTER AUSTRALIAN DELEGATION PROTESTED

A DAY after a group of Australians visited Adani Group’s headquarters in Ahmedabad and protested against the Carmichael mine project, a delegation led by Premier of Queensland, Australia, Annastacia Palaszczuk, visited Adani Group’s Mundra port in Kutch district on Friday and reaffirmed Queensland government's commitment to the $16.5 billion project.

A statement regarding the visit quoted the Queensland premier, Palaszczuk saying: “My visit here shows that Queensland supports the Adani project for its potential to create many jobs for regional Queensland, and will also help boost the Indian economy. Queensland will also be part of the solar project of Adani and we are delighted to be part of Adani in that project, too.”

"The Australian Prime Minister will also be visiting India shortly and that shows the significance of the relationship," she added.

The company stated that it will "ensure this mine will not pose an unacceptable risk to the environment." The chairman of Adani Group Gautam Adani said, "Our mining project will create economic prosperity and creation of thousands of jobs for the people of regional Queensland. The Carmichael mine will help bring energy security to millions of Indians who do not have access to electricity. The Adani group is committed to nation building projects in the energy and infrastructure space which will create economic and social benefits for people of India and Australia."

Adani Group ventured into Australia in 2010 with the purchase of the Greenfield Carmichael Coal Mine in the Galilee Basin, Central Queensland, and the Port of Abbot Point near Bowen in North Queensland. The company plans to operate a vertically integrated model - with the extraction of coal from our Carmichael Mine, transported by rail to Abbot Point, and export it to meet consumer and business demands in offshore markets, the statement added.

The company also said the project will provide “much needed job opportunities” and generate around $22 billion in state mining taxes and royalties in the first half of the 60-year project life.