It’s time to back the mine

“ENOUGH is enough.”

Strong and direct words from Herbert MP Cathy O’toole, who is demanding her state ALP colleagues prove their support for opening up the Galilee Basin to coal mining.

Once again the untapped basin and Adani’s Carmichael mine have become a distracting political football.

Unfortunately, the State Government continues to dither and shift the goalposts when it comes to Adani’s proposed mine.

Naysayers grab on to the argument that the Carmichael Mine will not create the number of jobs Adani originally spruiked. But the point is the Galilee Basin is locked, and at this stage Adani’s project is the key to unlocking the riches that lie within it.

There are thousands of jobs available through at least half a dozen projects and hundreds of millions of dollars in royalty payments to benefit from.

None of which North Queensland and the state can have until we commit to turning the key.

Yet the State Government and the city’s three local representatives — Aaron Harper, Scott Stewart and Coralee O’rourke — are loath to commit fully to the mine.

Adani’s project has been a thorn in the side of the Labor Party for years, both federally and in Queensland.

Herbert MP Cathy O’toole is right, there are other issues that need to be discussed and debated in the Townsville region and the political back and forth around Adani’s proposed mine distracts from that.

The state Labor MPS would be hard pressed to disagree.

But it will be hard for the community to focus on much else until they know for sure their local representatives, whom they elected, have the courage to stand up and support the jobs, prosperity and opportunities that come with opening the Galilee Basin.