Tanya Plibersek plays down Adani jobs

Deputy Federal Labor leader Tanya Plibersek has taken a swipe at mining giant Adani on radio, pointing to doubts over the company’s jobs figures and impact on the environment in regards to its Carmichael mine in Queensland.

DEPUTY Labor Leader Tanya Plibersek has told a Melbourne radio station that “we can’t rely on Indian mining company (Adani) to bring jobs to central and north Queensland”.

In a swipe at the foreign company, which has already invested millions of dollars in Queensland and has already employed staff, Ms Plibersek also said she was concerned about the impact of the company’s Carmichael mine on the environment.

Trad: QLD won’t be ‘bullied’ into fast-tracking Adani

Heat on Premier as Adani launches job blitz

Adani decision ‘reeks of political interference’

It comes after Queensland Labor Leader and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk criticised Adani for failing to submit approval documents for its railway line — after which Adani CEO Lucas Dow blamed the State Government for the delay.

Deputy Labor Leader Tanya Plibersek with Bill Shorten. Picture: AAP/Daniel Pockett

Asked on ABC Radio today if Labor was sitting on the fence and saying one thing in Victoria and another in Queensland, Ms Plibersek said Labor had been consistent.

“We say this project has to stack up on its environmental credentials and its economic credentials,’’ she said.

Told it had received its final federal approval to start, she muddied the waters by saying that there were more approvals to come.

However, the Morrison Government’s approval this week allows for construction works on the mine to begin such as removing soil, building roads and building a railway. Further sub-approvals will be needed before coal can be produced as the project moves through its various stages.

“Well we have to follow the science and law,’’ Ms Plibersek said.

“We have to follow the science and the law and we don’t know the basis for these decisions … but I’ll tell you this much. I think the jobs numbers are overstated.

“I am concerned about some of the environmental information that we’ve had from this, we can’t rely on an Indian mining company to bring jobs to central and north Queensland that’s why we have made such a concerted effort to invest in infrastructure projects in central and north Queensland, road projects, port projects, the construction jobs that come with them and also boosting our tourism and agriculture sectors in those areas.”