Adani hits back Bill Shorten questioning their finance and environmental credentials

ADANI has hit back at Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s suggestion the mining giant promised “fake jobs” to north Queenslanders.

Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, February 6, 2018. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

ADANI has hit back at Bill Shorten’s suggestion the mining giant promised “fake jobs” to North Queenslanders.

An Adani Australia spokesman said in a statement the company currently had 800 people working in Queensland.

“Each month we pay $7.2 million in salaries to our direct staff and seconded employees,” the spokesman said.

“We are proud this money is supporting the livelihoods of local people and we value the work they do and the enthusiasm they bring to work every day.”

The spokesman said Adani Australia remained “committed” to the Carmichael project and “looked forward to a time” when more people in places like Townsville could join the team.

“Over the life of the Carmichael Project, Adani Australia will create 10,000 direct and indirect jobs,” he said.

“Those are jobs with Adani, with our contractors and in the supporting mining industry and community businesses like supermarkets and petrol stations where our employees and contractors spend their money.”

The spokesman said the mine had been “rigorously and exhaustively assessed” by the state and federal governments.

“The Carmichael project ... has all necessary approvals including indigenous land use agreements required for it to go ahead,” he said.

The statement followed comments by Mr Shorten who said he believed there was “increasing scepticism” in the community about whether the proposed mine in the Galilee Basin would go ahead.

“It would appear that Adani hasn’t managed to convince a single Australian bank to help finance this operation,” he said.

The Federal Opposition Leader said the company was responsible for its own failure to deliver the mine on deadline.

“(Adani) time after time keep saying that they’re going to have this project up and running and they miss a deadline.

“I’m beginning to wonder if the people of North Queensland are being led on with the promise of fake jobs and they’re never going to materialise,” he said.

Mr Shorten said Labor’s position on the mine had “always been” to support the project provided it “stacks up”.

“Labor has always said if the deal stacks up, commercially and environmentally — that has been our position,” he said.

“Now, I actually think that the more you look at it, the fact that the banks won’t back it in, the fact that there’s always seems to be new environmental issues — that’s the problem.”

The federal Labor Party’s stance on Adani came under renewed scrutiny after Mr Shorten said he was “sceptical” of the mine project last week.

The comment followed a story claiming Adani falsified samples for an environmental report into mineral run-off during Cyclone Debbie last year.

Adani has strongly denied the allegations.

Mr Shorten said he believed his party’s position was “sensible”.

“We need to make sure that all scientific approvals have been diligently researched,” he said.

“When it comes to the Adani coal mine, I think that the Government now needs to investigate the allegations which were raised that samples were falsified.”

The Labor leader is under internal pressure to win green votes as the party tries to win the inner-Melbourne seat of Batman in a by-election.

Yesterday LNP Senator Matt Canavan issued an invitation to Mr Shorten to explain his stance on Adani directly to people in North Queensland.

“If (Mr Shorten) had any guts, he’d come up to North Queensland, explain himself and talk to the people who want a job in the mining industry, talk to the businesses who’s futures rely on this industry going ahead,” he said.

Originally published as Adani hits back Bill Shorten questioning their finance and environmental credentials