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Labor's NQ candidate wants Adani

Burdekin candidate for Labor rebels on Adani

LABOR'S Burdekin candidate Mike Brunker claims he doesn't know what seat his colleague and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad holds in Queensland while remaining confident the Federal Government can still administer a loan to Adani.

Mr Brunker said he "didn't particularly care" what Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Treasurer Curtis Pitt had said about the ongoing Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility loan debacle.

"My stance hasn't changed," he said.

"The loan has no consequence to me. I'm all about making sure it (Adani) gets up. I'm worried about Burdekin, I don't know what Jackie Trad is doing. I don't even know what seat she's in and what margin she's on."

There has been speculation Labor's decision to veto the Adani loan was motivated by attempts to secure green votes in southeast Queensland electorates like Left faction leader Ms Trad's seat of South Brisbane.

Mr Brunker said he wasn't consulted before the decision was announced more than a week ago.

"At the end of the day, I'm sure the Federal Government can give whoever they want to give money to," he said.

"Quite frankly, the people on the street just want to know jobs are going ahead."

Meanwhile, the Premier's office said if Queensland blocked the NAIF loan to Adani, the Federal Government could use another mechanism to pay for the rail line.

But the Federal Government needs to channel any money granted through the NAIF via state governments for constitutional reasons.

On Thursday, Ms Palaszczuk said "if the Federal Government wants to pay for it, they can pay for it".

Asked if that meant Queensland would not stand in the way of the Federal Government issuing the loan she said, "No".

"What I said yesterday stands, it's a matter for the Federal Government," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"They have an infrastructure fund themselves. If they decide to do that they can. That's a matter for Malcolm Turnbull."

Originally published as Labor's NQ candidate wants Adani

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/labors-nq-candidate-wants-adani/news-story/ddb6e2208dda7d5c769519738a8d7416