Adani attacks could cost Bill Shorten swag of seats: Stephen Conroy

Former MP Stephen Conroy lashes Qld Labor’s “last-minute attack” on a planned coalmine, warning of the damage to Bill Shorten.

Former Labor Senator Stephen Conroy says attacks on Adani’s proposed coalmine could cost Bill Shorten at the election. Picture: Aaron Francis

Former ALP minister Stephen Conroy has lashed Queensland Labor’s “last-minute attack” on Adani’s proposed coalmine, warning the row could cost Bill Shorten a “swag of seats in northern and central Queensland”.

Mr Conroy’s comments came as state authorities presented Adani with the final version of a controversial report into the company’s plan to manage endangered finches near its proposed Carmichael coal project.

The review led by Melbourne University ecologist Brendan Wintle — whom industry and union figures have accused of anti-coal bias — was commissioned in December as federal regulators approved the plan, which Adani had crafted over 18 months of close consultation with the state Environment Department.

Mr Conroy, a former leader of the Labor Party in the Senate, said it was time for the state government to “show it is serious” about supporting coal jobs in central and north Queensland.

“I thought the Queensland government had been behind this project and right at the last minute, when it’s cleared all hurdles, suddenly we’ve got a (problem with a) finch,” Mr Conroy told Sky News.

“Bill Shorten has a swag of seats in northern and central Queensland that rely on this development and the message he would send would be very poor if the Queensland government continues to sabotage it.

“If it stacks up on it’s own merits it should go ahead, and having a last-minute attack by the Queensland government is a very unhelpful development for Bill Shorten. It clearly will be critical across a range of seats in Queensland.”

Mr Conroy said he was “astounded” by the CFMEU’s vow to campaign against Labor MPs and candidates who supported the state government’s position on Adani, saying union boss Steve Smyth had “belled the cat” on the issue.

The Carmichael project, which would unlock a rich new coal basin, cannot proceed unless the government approved Adani’s black-throated finch management plan, which sets out the specifics of how Adani would meet its environmental approvals.

In a statement, the Environment Department said Dr Wintle’s finch report had been “finalised” and provided to Adani late yesterday.

“Adani now has the opportunity to consider the review panel’s recommendations and provide a response to the department,” it said.

“While there is no statutory time frame for this to occur, DES has suggested to Adani that the above process be undertaken at the company’s earliest opportunity.”

Adani’s proposals to protect the finch include maintaining a 33,000 hectare pastoral property in which the finches could live and breed, as well as a scientific research and monitoring program.

Comment was sought from Adani about the final report.

Adani earlier hit out at accusations of aggressive legal tactics after a prospectus produced by law firm AJ & Co, pledging to be the company’s “trained attack dog”, was leaked to the ABC.

“We won’t apologise for pursuing our legal rights,” Adani’s spokeswoman said.