Green activists ‘like Nick Kyrgios, they just want to disrupt’
The government has accused a ‘cabal of individuals and overseas activists’ of trying to stop jobs in Queensland.
The Turnbull government has accused a “cabal of individuals and overseas activists” of trying to stop jobs in Queensland as the state opposition accuses the Labor government of “opening the door” to another round of “green lawfare” to stymie development.
Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan said yesterday the campaign wasn’t just about coalmining but the Adani Carmichael coal project, with a claimed 10,000 jobs “at the forefront”.
“These groups don’t live here, they don’t understand the region, and they’re trying to corrupt our judicial system and our political system for their own ends, which are all about stopping jobs, not protecting the environment,” the Queensland senator said.
Malcolm Turnbull also said in Queensland that there were too many delays and too much red tape for development projects.
“I think that all Australians can agree that red tape and delay is a huge brake on development and investment,’’ the Prime Minister said.
“We just have to make these decisions quickly, more quickly. Don’t cut corners; don’t sacrifice the environment for development. We can look after both.”
Mr Turnbull and Senator Canavan were talking after the release of an Institute of Public Affairs report into challenges to development projects under the Environment Act that found developers had spent a cumulative 20 years in court fighting challenges from environment groups, with delays costing the economy up to $1.2 billion.
Mr Turnbull said it was taking too long to get decisions in the approval process because of delays and legal challenges: “I hear again and again from investors and developers that they would rather have a quick ‘no’ than years, and even decades, of delay and legal expense and spinning wheels.”
The government is considering tightening the provisions allowing legal challenges to projects because foreign-funded environmental groups were systemically delaying projects and campaigning against coalmining.
“We have to examine the processes again and we’ve got to get streamlining done. It is taking too long,” Mr Turnbull said. He also said it was important to get state government support to stop “vexatious litigation”.
Senator Canavan said the “cabal of individuals and overseas activists” was delaying roads, ports and dams along with mining.
“Some of these groups are funding court cases where clearly they don’t intend to win, they’re not playing to win,’’ he said.
“They’re the Nick Kyrgios of the judicial system … they don’t intend to win the case, they just intend to disrupt and delay it long enough that the investor leaves.
“We have to make sure that we find a balance between the environment and developing projects.’’
Yesterday Queensland’s Liberal National Party spokesman for mines and northern development, Andrew Cripps, said new restrictions on water use introduced by the Labor government would expose the Adani coal project to further court action.
“(Premier) Annastacia Palaszczuk has opened the door to green activists and third parties launching further rounds of legal challenges and appeals that will jeopardise the delivery of much-needed jobs and investment to the region,” he said in a statement.
On Sunday, Ms Palaszczuk said: “Decisions about major projects here in Queensland are subject to full scrutiny by stakeholders and must get approval under state and federal laws.’’
Under the new legislation on groundwater, the projects will have to win approval for a transitional water licence and face a new avenue of legal challenge by green activists.
New Hope Coal wrote to state MPs warning jobs would be cut and the expansion of its mine indefinitely delayed if it were made to secure a water licence.
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