Shorten’s Queensland MPs gagged after Adani cleared

Bill Shorten’s Queensland MPs and candidates have been gagged from speaking about the Adani mine.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten.

Bill Shorten’s Queensland MPs and candidates have been gagged by Labor headquarters from speaking about Adani’s coalmine.

A day after the Carmichael project cleared all federal approvals to begin construction, the state ALP government ramped up its attacks on the Morrison government’s “chaotic” process and encouraged its bureaucrats to take their time before backing their federal counterparts. Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said this could involve seeking new independent environmental advice, reversing the government’s previous commitment to consider only the study by the CSIRO and Geoscience Australia that was commissioned by Canberra.

Numerous opposition backbenchers and candidates pointedly refused to discuss the mine publicly yesterday while Labor’s only north Queensland MP, Cathy O’Toole, faced accusations of “running scared” after she withdrew from a promised interview with The Australian. This paper called Ms O’Toole yesterday and left a voicemail message. The MP returned our call but, when the topic of conversation turned to Adani, ended the conversation.

Ms O’Toole’s spokeswoman then repeatedly promised she would be interviewed and provide written answers to questions, including­ about her personal opinion on the mine and whether she supported state Labor’s approach.

Herbert MP Cathy O'Toole was accused of ‘running scared’ after pulling out of an interview with The Australian. Picture: Zak Simmonds

As the newspaper’s deadline approached, the spokeswoman sent a one-line email referring this newspaper to Ms O’Toole’s comments in yesterday’s Townsville Bulletin, none of which was ­relevant. Liberal candidate Phillip Thompson said Ms O’Toole — who won the Townsville-based seat of Herbert by only 37 votes in 2016 — was more focused on supportin­g her party allies than backing jobs in Townsville.

“Do you want someone who’s going to fight for your region and what’s right, or do you want someone who’ll be muzzled and be Canberra­’s voice in Townsville?” he said. “It stacks up, it’s ready to go and it has the environment tick.

“North Queensland wants and needs Adani to go ahead.” The Morrison government has cleared Adani’s plans to manage groundwater and protect the black-throated finch, but these plans still need approval by the state Envir­onment Department. The black-throated finch management­ plan stalled in Februar­y after a government-commissioned review­ recommended tough new rules for the mine and rail project.

Ms Enoch’s department had previously ruled out commissioning a similar external review of Adani’s groundwater plan. However, the minister said yesterday that option was still open to her officials.

“They will need time to be able to consider and assess the report and, of course, what the current GDEMP (Groundwater Depend­ent Ecosystem Management Plan) should actually look like and whether it complies with the issues that have been identified by CSIRO,” she said.

Ms Enoch said the pressure exerted­ on federal Environment Minister Melissa Price by her Liberal National Party colleagues to urgently approve the groundwater plan “reeks of political interference” and called on the minister to release all the evidence underpinning her approval.

Ms Price’s office did not respond to questions about whether she would release the documents before deadline. Adani CEO Lucas Dow accused state Labor of “shifting the goalposts” on his project, which promises about 1500 jobs.

“Why is the minister providing media statements and a running commentary on a process that she claims she has no involvement with?” he said.