Adani to get the all-clear on finch

Adani expected to get the green light from Queensland’s environment department today.

If the department does sign off on Adani’s finch strategy as expected, it will leave just one major hurdle — a groundwater-management plan. Picture: Supplied

Adani is expected to get the green light from Queensland’s Environment Department today for its plan to manage the black-throated finch on the site of its proposed Carmichael coalmine.

It is understood the department and the Indian mining conglomerate have agreed that Adani does not need to count every endangered finch before construction begins, but will need to decrease the intensity of cattle-grazing on the central Queensland mine site and adjoining conservation reserve.

A Department of Environment and Science spokesman confirmed to The Australian that Adani had “provided all the necessary information”, and said the final decision would be announced on Friday.

If the department does sign off on Adani’s finch strategy as expected, it will leave just one major hurdle — a groundwater-management plan — to be cleared before work can start on the con­troversial $2 billion project.

Adani has been pressing for the approvals from the department for months and last week Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk finally gave in to demands that she intervene, ordering high-level talks between the company, the department and the state’s Co-­ordinator-General.

That intervention resulted in approvals deadlines being set: the finch deadline is today, and the groundwater-management plan must be decided on by June 13.

Ms Palaszczuk had said federal Labor’s drubbing in regional Queensland at the recent election — partly blamed on the state government’s stalling on Adani and an internal revolt by her regional MPs — delivered a “wake-up call” and prompted her to declare she was “fed up” with her own department. Environment officials are waiting on advice from the CSIRO and Geoscience Australia before making a decision on the groundwater plan.

It comes as other coalmining companies operating in Queensland met yesterday to consider signing up to Treasurer Jackie Trad’s “voluntary” $100 million regional infrastructure fund or face hiked royalties.

Ms Trad this week told miners she would not raise royalties at the June 11 state budget, but would consider hiking the rate in future years, unless the companies “voluntarily” paid into the fund, to which the government would contribute $30m.

“This is not a threat, it’s a voluntary contribution,” Ms Trad said yesterday. “If people don’t want to contribute, they don’t have to contribute, and I’ve already ruled out royalty increases in the 2019-20 budget. That gives industry a level of confidence.

“What I’m saying to industry is I want to extend that confidence out for three years but, in return, I think we can work in partnership to deliver a bit more in regional communities.”

BHP, Anglo American, Peabody and Glencore are in talks over the offer, which is seen as a much gentler financial hit than a royalties hike, which could have raked in an extra $1bn for the government. It is understood the miners are holding out for a better deal, and want Ms Trad to extend the royalties freeze to 2024.

Opposition Leader Deb Freck­lington last night said Ms Trad was holding the mining industry to ransom, and that the Treasurer should be investigated for “extortion”.