Minister Steven Miles backs Jackie Jackie Trad concession on controversial mine

State minister Steven Miles has added his voice to the Adani debate, following an extraordinary social media post by Deputy Premier Jackie Trad.

SENIOR Government Minister Steven Miles has added his voice to the debate over the demonisation of coal communities in the climate change debate, backing Deputy Premier Jackie Trad.

Ms Trad took to Facebook last night to argue her side of the story amid pressure from all sides over the Palaszczuk Government’s handling of the Adani coal mine both before and after Federal Labor’s Election drubbing last month.

“I think what the deputy premier has had to say about this is pretty accurate,” Mr Miles said.

“I say this is someone who’s been active in campaigning on climate change for more than a decade.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles has backed in Deputy Premier Jackie Trad following a social media post she made last night. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled.

Mr Miles said the Government needed to focus on both employment and the environment.

“We need to do both. We need to create jobs, and we need to act on climate change at the same time.

“And that is actually what we’ve been getting on with doing with our record investments in renewables as well as our ongoing approval of resource projects.

Mr Miles is expected to be involved in Climate Week activities alongside former US vice president Al Gore.

Mr Gore has previously described the Adani project as “just nuts” and warned of its impact on the Great Barrier Reef.

EARLIER:

TREASURER Jackie Trad has taken to Facebook to defend her Government against a two-pronged attack over Adani.

Ms Trad, who has led Labor’s opposition to the controversial Carmichael megamine, last night made a lengthy post reflecting on the party’s federal election loss and listing the State Government’s environmental credentials as she promised it was also committed to job security and economic stability.

“We all have an obligation to act on climate change, but pointing the finger at one community and saying, ‘You are the reason this is happening’ didn’t get us anywhere,” she said.

Ms Trad, who may lose her inner-city seat to the Greens at next year’s election, said Labor didn’t do enough to convince regional Queenslanders Labor was as serious about protecting their jobs as they were about climate change.

Treasurer Jackie Trad

It comes after last week’s signing off on Adani’s Black-Throated Finch management plan, which was met with white-hot anger from environmental groups.

“The Carmichael mine has become the ultimate political weapon,” Ms Trad wrote.

“For those opposed to the mine it has taken on the status of the only test of commitment to action on climate change.

“For those supportive of the mine this project is the only proof of a commitment to resource sector jobs in regional Queensland communities.

“Both arguments are exaggerated and wrong.”

The post also follows Stop Adani and Greens candidate Ben Pennings promising “mass civil resistance” to the mine in coming weeks.

“There is an easy way and a hard way ahead for Queensland Labor,” he wrote on Facebook.

“I hope they take the easy way.”

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Posted by Jackie Trad on Sunday, 2 June 2019

Shadow treasurer Tim Mander took a swipe at Ms Trad, claiming her extraordinary admission on Facebook last night was a way of countering the backlash that has unfolded in the regions.

“Jackie Trad can’t spin away out of the fact that she’s anti-resources, anti-regions and anti-jobs,” he said.

“The only job Jackie Trad is worried about is her own job.

“I think she’s trying to justify the backlash that’s happened in the regions since the last federal election, but if Jackie Trad needed the last federal election results to know the sentiment of regional Queensland it shows how out of touch she really is.”