OPINION: Pro-coal loons convinced mine means prosperity

'There are a lot of people getting rich on the back of mining projects but it's almost never the people who live in the vicinity of them.'

Residents at a 'Walk for Water' through central Mackay to call on the Federal and State Governments to stop Adani's coal mine and protect Queensland's ground and river water. Picture: Emma Murray

WHETHER or not you agree with Adani, and I am very much on the record for calling it Australia's worst deal since the lease of the Port of Darwin to China, the idiocy of galloping a horse through the Wangan/Jagalingou Dreaming event dramatically illustrates we have come nowhere towards basic respect for Indigenous culture.

Further, the gross stupidity of this action is a perfect metaphor for the inanity of the narrative around support for the Adani project.

All the pro-coal figureheads such as Pauline Hanson, Clive Palmer, Matt Canavan and the rest were all out in Clermont, talking to the media stirring up the locals against the Bob Brown convoy, so it was never a matter of if, but when, somebody ended up getting hurt.

Since the event was a family gathering full of kids, it could have been much worse, but a woman is still struggling in critical condition in hospital.

There are a lot of people getting rich on the back of mining projects but it's almost never the people who live in the vicinity of them.

Drive to Blackwater in Central Queensland and disappoint yourself with the answer to the question, "Is this what a mining boom town looks like?"

Adani is an Indian mine which will employ an Indian FIFO workforce and while it will eventually pay royalties, the coal will end up offshore, powering cheap labour factories to compete with China against the rest of the world, Australian industry included.

The coal is to be used for power generation, not steel manufacturing, and will lift India's rural poor out of poverty and right into industrial slavery.

Add to this the climate implications of burning all this coal and its not hard to see why people are passionately opposed.

Somehow the locals and pro-coal loons are convinced this mine represents generational economic prosperity for Central Queensland (which it doesn't) and are prepared to abuse, threaten, and even hurt those who oppose it.

It seems the coal industry and its supporters are prepared to adopt a form of old school political apartheid and a mob rule mentality to the voices of dissent.

BILL HECK

North Booval

Originally published as OPINION: Pro-coal loons convinced mine means prosperity