‘Impacts too great’: Clive Palmer mine blocked

Labor has blocked Clive Palmer’s bid to build a ­central Queensland coalmine, claiming the project would have ‘unacceptable impacts’ on the environment.

Businessman Clive Palmer. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Labor has blocked Clive Palmer’s bid to build a ­central Queensland coalmine, claiming the project would have “unacceptable impacts” on the environment and risked releasing sediment into the Great Barrier Reef.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek on Wednesday afternoon revealed the government would formally reject the project under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act – the first time the law had been used to block a coalmine.

“I’ve decided that the adverse environmental impacts are simply too great,” she said.

“The mine is an open-cut coalmine less than 10km from the Great Barrier Reef and the risk of pollution and irreversible damage to the reef is very real.”

Ms Plibersek in August proposed blocking the mine bid, lodged by Central Queensland Coal, but opened up her decision for public consultation. Of the 9000 submissions her department received on the matter, 98 per cent were in favour of axing the mine.

“The project would have un­acceptable impacts on fresh water in the area and potentially fragile seagrass meadows that feed ­dugongs and provide breeding grounds for fish just off the coast,” Ms Plibersek said.

A spokesman for Mr Palmer said the mining magnate would “review the correspondence and make a decision on what he plans to do then”.

The Greens leapt on the announcement to demand the government block all future coal and gas projects. “This decision is the thin edge of the wedge,” Greens environment spokeswoman Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“There were 118 coal and gas projects in the pipeline. One down, 117 to go. Approving more coal and gas in the midst of a climate crisis is reckless and dangerous.”

Opposition environment spokesman Jonathon Duniam said miners continued to “operate under incredibly strict en­vironmental regulations, and deserve credit for their extensive contributions to environmental offsets, ­rehabilitation and land management”.

Opposition resources spokeswoman Susan McDonald said she would be closely watching for the “detailed reasons” for the decision from Ms Plibersek in coming weeks.

If approved, the project would have mined up to 18 tonnes a year from two open-cut pits.

In its submission to Ms Plibersek following her decision in Aug­ust, Central Queensland Coal pointed out that coalmining had existed in the region from 1918 to as recently as 1964.

“In this instance we contend that the review was not fair and reasonable and failed to take into account scientific and technological studies, and engineering safeguards provided by CQC,” the submission said.

“We understand this is the first coalmine in Australia’s history which faces such rejection and the treatment dealt out to our company is different from projects that have been approved previously.

“Our company had a legitimate expectation that the minister would have provided us with fair treatment and approve the project in the same manner as previous Australian governments would have approved the project.”

Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie said there could be no new coal and gas projects approved if the globe was to stay within safe levels of warming.

“This is a significant decision that shows coal companies that polluting, destructive coalmines are not welcome in Australia.”

Nationals, including former resources ministers Matt Canavan and Keith Pitt, raised alarm over the decision. “This is exactly not what we need at a time of rising inflation,” Senator Canavan said. “We need productive investments to help soak up the excess money supply we have post-Covid.”

Mr Pitt called Ms Plibersek’s move an “attack on the high-vis workers of Australia”.

“What’s clear is Labor has said it would support the resources industry, that we won’t lose high-vis jobs under them, and yet we’ve seen (this),” he said.