Andrew Bolt: We must start big projects to boost economy
We can’t stop the economy getting sick from the coronavirus, but we can at least save it from the green stupidity blocking big projects and thousands of new jobs, writes Andrew Bolt.
Andrew Bolt
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This coronavirus panic will kill lots of jobs. So our politicians must at least end the green madness that’s stopping big projects from starting up and hiring.
Many projects have been held up for years by government regulations and activist courts, often because of absurdly hysterical fears of global warming.
What better time than now for politicians to end this insanity?
For example, how much longer can governments let South Korea’s KEPCO company be stopped from mining for coal in the Upper Hunter?
KEPCO spent $115 million buying land and $400 million for a mining license — only to be banned by the NSW Independent Planning Commission, which wittered about “problematical” greenhouse gas emissions, among other things.
And what are governments doing to revive the Rocky Hill mine? That was blocked last year by the NSW Land and Environment Court, partly on the grounds we had an “urgent” obligation to resist such projects under the Paris Agreement on global warming.
Seriously? Our Chief Scientist admits the difference Australia’s emissions make to the climate are “virtually nothing”. This mine is a tiny, tiny fraction of virtually nothing, but its jobs and royalties would make a real difference to many families.
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan, the former resources minister, has a list of eight projects that have waited literally for years for approval from the federal or NSW governments — projects worth $5 billion that would hire 4000 people in construction and 3000 when they’re running.
They include a gas project at Narrabri, coal projects at Olive Downs and Angus Place, and agricultural projects at Kingvale and Gogo station. Canavan wants action — now.
But our politicians instead let green activists use a loophole in environmental laws to block and block.
The Institute of Public Affairs says this green “lawfare” has delayed seven projects worth $65 billion, including the Adani coalmine in Queensland, a new port on Melville Island and a salmon farm in Tasmania.
Surely politicians must now clear these logjams. We’re now desperate for such jobs and the money.
Thankfully, even Victoria’s Labor government is waking up. On Monday it dropped its totally irrational ban on gas exploration on land, which had helped to drive up gas prices.
We can’t help the economy getting sick from the coronavirus. But we can at least save it from our stupidity.