Hundreds of New Acland mine expansion jobs ‘at risk’, Palaszczuk government warned

New Acland mine expansion workers and their community “have been stuck on a never-ending roundabout” of scrutiny for more than 15 years that risks losing jobs, its boss has warned the Palaszczuk government.

The Palaszczuk government is being urged to declare the New Acland mine expansion a prescribed project so that it is not subject to any unreasonable delays.

The mine’s owner, New Hope, and the Queensland Resources Council on Monday said the project had already gone through extensive review processes as they pointed to the jobs it would create.

But the government would not commit to declaring it a prescribed project, with a Department of State Development spokesman instead saying approvals had been progressing since the Co-ordinator-General change report at the end of May.

New Hope chief executive officer Rob Bishop said in light of the “extensive, multi-department review processes already undertaken”, the government could issue a prescribed project status.

“A prescribed project declaration would see jobs created with all the conditions to manage mining, the environment, community and water recommended by the Land Court and government department reviews to date,” he said.

A mining truck at the New Acland Mine in May. Picture: Josh Woning

“New Acland Stage 3 stacks up environmentally, socially and economically.

“It’s time to give certainty to the approvals process and end the indefinite delays and legal challenges.”

The Stage 3 mine expansion, near Oakey on the Darling Downs, was granted environmental approval late last month.

It is now waiting on mining leases and an associated water licence.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said no resources project in Queensland’s history had been more scrutinised or assessed.

“New Hope Group, its workers and the local community have been stuck on a never-ending roundabout for more than 15 years,” he said.

“If the Palaszczuk government believes in its processes and people, it needs to declare New Acland Stage 3 a prescribed project.

“Does the Palaszczuk government really want New Acland Stage 3 to return to the Land Court for a fourth time, and place at risk hundreds of potential new jobs associated with this project?”