Deadline set for Adani’s contentious coal mine

The Queensland premier is celebrating a “breakthough” that could see her government’s two-year stand-off with Adani resolved within weeks.

Anti-Adani environment activists have long protested over the mine. Picture: AAP/Dan Peled

Annastacia Palaszczuk says firm deadlines have been set to settle two state approvals the Indian miner needs to proceed with its Galilee Basin coal mine.

There should be a decision on Adani’s plan to protect an endangered finch by May 31, and on its groundwater management plan by June 13.

The premier stepped in earlier this week after federal Labor’s bruising defeat in regional Queensland electorates that want the jobs associated with the mine. She said she was fed up with delays that have plagued the approvals process and acknowledged regional Queenslanders were too.

Abbot Point, through which coal from the Carmichael megamine will pass.

On Friday she hailed the deadlines as a breakthrough that should finally see things resolved.

“I know initially people thought this was months, what I’m announcing today (is) it’s a matter of weeks,” Ms Palaszczuk told reporters in Cairns on Friday. “Everyone needs to have these issues resolved ... this is good news.” Ms Palaszczuk was asked if Adani would deliver all the jobs it had promised, after the construction arm of the CFMEU raised concerns about mine automation and workers being shipped in from India.

But the premier said it was up to Adani to tell the people of Queensland about jobs.

On Thursday, Adani Australia CEO Lucas Dow rubbished the union’s concerns. “There’s no automation contemplated on our project; were not engaging with 457 visas, were talking about jobs for Queenslanders,” he said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is travelling to regions where voters shunned Labor at last week’s election. Picture: Zak Simmonds

The Queensland Resources Council has said the mine will create 1500 ongoing jobs and another 6750 during its construction.

The CSIRO will still need to sign off on the groundwater management plan should it get state approval.

There are also some outstanding federal approvals, ongoing legal challenges and a rolling dispute with some indigenous owners.

But Adani considers the outstanding Queensland approvals as the greatest threat to its planned mine, which is expected to produce 10 million tonnes a year. Adani has repeatedly accused the state Labor government of delaying the mine, and changing the goal posts for its bird and groundwater plans. It says the government has been reviewing various versions of its groundwater management plan for more than two years.

Over the same time frame, seven versions of the finch management plan have been submitted for input and review, with a decision yet to be made.