Spare us the green tape, says boss of $8bn Cairns casino project

THE businessman behind a proposed mega-casino in Queensland says there is no need for federal environmental approval for it.

THE Hong Kong businessman behind a proposed mega-casino resort in far north Queensland has argued there is no need for a federal environmental approval for the $8 billion seaside complex that sits on a flood plain.

In a report to the federal Department of the Environment, billionaire Tony Fung says the proposed Aquis resort at York­eys Knob, north of Cairns, does not trigger the need for a separate commonwealth environmental assessment process.

The proposed resort, which would be the largest non-resources construction project in Australia, will cover 360ha of existing cane fields on the Barron River delta, and is prone to flooding and storm surges.

In a submission, prepared by consultants and signed-off by Mr Fung, Aquis argues that the projected impact of the project on the environment were not significant enough to warrant the commonwealth assessment.

The proposed development will include eight hotel towers, two casinos, a gold course and 33ha lake — which will be filled by seawater pumped through a 2.2km pipeline from near the Great Barrier Reef and then discharged at the mouth of a neighbouring creek.

Released on the federal Environment Department website, the report was prepared to argue against a “controlled action’’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Aquis also said it had completed a draft environmental impact statement for the state government, but had yet to submit it for approval.

“A draft EIS has been completed but not submitted to the Co-ordinator-General, pending finalisation of a related issuing of a casino licence that is critical to the project viability,’’ the report said.

Mr Fung last year bought Reef Casino Trust, which operates the existing Cairns casino, for $269 million. It is understood he wants use the existing casino licence for his new resort.

On Saturday, The Weekend Australian revealed concerns among the 3500-strong population of Yorkeys Knob about the social and environmental impacts on the proposed casino.

James Cook University professor Jon Nott, of the Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, said he had concerns about the project.

“The proposed development is located on the Barron River delta, which floods regularly and is also prone to storm surges from the ocean during tropical cyclones,’’ Professor Nott said.

“They are proposing to raise the levels of the project, but it is based on outdated methodology.’’

Aquis is one of 12 bidders competing for three “integrated resort’’ licences on offer from the Newman government.