Queensland could approve Galilee Basin loan if company not Adani

Queensland says it could approve a taxpayer-funded loan to unlock the Galilee Basin if it were sought by a company other than Adani.

Palaszczuk vowed to veto Adani’s request for a loan in November. Picture: AAP

The Queensland Labor government has been accused of “breathtaking hypocrisy” after saying it could approve a taxpayer-funded loan to unlock the state’s Galilee Basin coalfields if it were sought by a company other than Adani.

In last November’s heated state election, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk vowed to veto Adani’s request for a loan through the federal Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, saying the project needed to “stand on its own two feet”.

The NAIF loan would have facilitated a new railway that proponents said would not only ferry coal for Adani’s proposed Carmichael coalmine, but open up the broader Galilee Basin for coal production. Other proponents in the Galilee include Clive Palmer’s Waratah Coal and Gina Rinehart’s GVK Hancock.

However Ms Palaszczuk has now told parliament that any proposal brought by another company would be considered.

“Any NAIF proposal will be given proper consideration and assessed on its merits by the Queensland government,” Ms Palaszczuk said when asked if she would veto any other application for assistance from the NAIF for, or associated with, proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin.

“I am advised by my Director-General that the Queensland government is not aware of any other active NAIF proposals relating to mining development in the Galilee Basin.”

Ms Palaszczuk’s answer, published this morning, came in response to a question put to the Premier in writing by Michael Berkman, the state’s lone Greens MP.

In a statement, Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said Labor’s election commitment related specifically to Adani.

“The Palaszczuk Government has maintained its election commitment to veto any NAIF loan for the Adani Carmichael Coal Project,” he said.

“The Queensland Government is not aware of any other active NAIF proposals relating to mining development in the Galilee Basin.”

Liberal National leader Deb Frecklington accused the Premier of “quite simply breathtaking hypocrisy”.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk and Bill Shorten are not just friends; they have a lot in common and will say whatever it takes to get elected and then do the complete opposite once in government.”

Ms Frecklington blamed the state government for sending business confidence to an “all time low”.

The politically charged veto of Adani’s proposal came at the same time as the government pledged to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies to new industries through schemes such as Advance Queensland, the Renewable Energy Target and CleanCo.

The opposition Liberal National Party has been more supportive of Adani. It campaigned at the last election to fast-track a new coal-fired power station for the state, but has since unveiled a plan for state-owned renewables to ready Queensland for a “future beyond coal”.

Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan said: ‘I welcome the Premier’s statement. I look forward to working with her to get good investments up for Queensland, including investments in the Galilee Basin.”

The Australian Conservation Foundation said Queensland voters did not want to see any taxpayer-funded support for big coalmining firms.

“If the Premier gives taxpayer funds to massive coal companies, she will be breaking trust with the people of Queensland,” ACF chief executive Kelly O’Shanassy said.

“Whether public money is spent on Adani digging up coal in the Galilee, or another company digging up coal the effect is the same. It will super-charge climate change, contribute to the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef, and threaten Queensland’s precious ground water.”