Mining giant Glencore’s swipe at Premier Steven Miles over controversial carbon capture project

Steven Miles has been accused of political opportunism by mining giant Glencore after comments made by the Premier regarding the company’s controversial carbon capture storage project.

Mining giant Glencore has accused Premier Steven Miles of political opportunism after he said the company’s controversial plan to pump liquid carbon dioxide into Queensland’s greatest underground water network was unlikely to get the green light.

Glencore’s carbon capture and storage proposal has sparked significant backlash from graziers, with Queensland’s powerful farming peak body AgForce vowing to put its “entire balance sheet” on the line to prevent the project happening in the Great Artesian Basin.

The issue has also caused political friction at both a state and federal level - including a split in the Coalition as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton refused to back in his Nationals’ counterpart mea culpa.

Premier Steven Miles has been accused of political opportunism by mining giant Glencore. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Premier Steven Miles, in Rockhampton this week, said based on his knowledge of environment laws he didn’t not expect Glencore’s project to pump liquid carbon dioxide into the basin would get state sign-off.

“I think it’s unlikely to pass that environmental test, but it’s an important and independent process so I’ll let that run its course and once it has run its course then I’ll have more to say about longer term policy options,” he said.

The state’s decision on the project’s environmental impact statement is due by May 27.

Glencore slammed Mr Miles comments and asserted it was “disappointed” he had chosen to provide “running commentary” while the project was still under independent review.

“Our fear is that Glencore has been set up by this government to fail even though we are following the CCS approvals process set up by the Queensland Government,” a spokesman said.

“We have followed a rigorous approvals process which has seen the environmental impact statement (EIS) for CTSCo reviewed by independent experts from the Australian Government, Queensland Government and CSIRO.”

Farmers are concerned pumping liquid carbon dioxide within the basin - which covers 1.7 million square kilometres and 22 per cent of Australia - will do irreparable harm to the main water source for much of inland Queensland and New South Wales.

Mining giant Glencore has taken a massive swipe at Queensland Premier Steven Miles. Picture: Delphine Mayeur

Glencore has maintained the project is safe and there is no risk to the water supply.

AgForce launched legal action against the federal government last month in a bid to force its hand, arguing the project should be approved under national environmental law rather than through Queensland’s processes.

In 2022 the Coalition government notified Glencore it had decided the project didn’t need further assessment or approval at a federal level - leaving the environmental controls to Queensland.

In a significant mea culpa federal Opposition agriculture spokesman David Littleproud, a key Coalition frontbencher when the project was approved by the Morrison government, admitted they had made a mistake.

“It was not appropriate… unfortunately the Minister at the time in 2022 didn’t see fit to do a proper review (through federal environmental laws) and that was a mistake, and I’m not afraid to say it,” he said.

But Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, speaking on BeefTV on Wednesday, refused to back in Mr Littleproud’s comments only saying he would wait for the outcome of an ongoing senate inquiry and federal court case.