Federal election 2022: Anthony Albanese backs Qld coalmines that stack up

Anthony Albanese has echoed his predecessor Bill Shorten regarding Labor’s position on future Queensland coal projects.

Queensland may never open a new coalmine if Australia fails to vote in a majority government, with the Greens and climate-focused Independents vowing to block the projects if they hold the balance of power.

Seeking to avoid a repeat of the 2019 coal wedge, ­Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said yesterday Labor’s position on coalmines was clear, and that projects should go ahead if they stacked up environmentally and the private market deemed it viable.

But the Greens have vowed to prevent new coal and gas projects from ­opening if they hold the ­balance of power in a minority government.

And climate-focused Independent candidates, including Monique Ryan in the Victorian electorate of Kooyong, are also pushing climate targets that require no new coal and gas projects in order to be achieved.

This means multiple new mines in Queensland’s Galilee Basin – where the Carmichael project has so far employed 2600 people after an eight-year approval ­struggle – are at risk of never being realised.

It has prompted Bravus Mining – formerly known as Adani Australia – to state its hope moving forward was for all mining companies to be treated equally when it came to environmental ­approval.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese in Brisbane yesterday. Picture: Toby Zerna

North Queensland industry peak body Townsville Enterprise also warned coal was due to be part of the region’s economic mix for decades, and the market would ultimately ­decide when time was up for the resource.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, campaigning in Perth yesterday, left the door open to doing a deal with Independents to form government, but ­implored voters not to risk plunging Parliament back into “chaos and uncertainty”.

The renewed debate on the future of coal during the election campaign comes after it was revealed that other mine operators had been in contact with Bravus to use its rail line in the Galilee Basin amid an uptick in coal prices.

GVK Hancock, a joint venture between GVK and Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting, has mining applications going through the process for two projects – Alpha Coal and Kevin’s Corner – in the Galilee Basin.

Other miners with interests in the region include Clive Palmer’s Waratah Coal.

The Carmichael project, as a proxy for the future of North Queensland jobs, was a flashpoint issue of the 2019 election and Labor’s ­inability to clarify its support for the mine deemed a factor in its loss.

Mr Albanese, campaigning in Brisbane yesterday, said Labor’s position on the issue was clear.

Independent Dr Monique Ryan launches her campaign recently.

“If coalmines stack up, ­environmentally and commercially, which is a decision for the companies, then they get approved, and then Labor would welcome any jobs that would be created from that,” he said.

His answer, not dissimilar to that of his predecessor Bill Shorten saying Adani could go ahead if it stacked up, prompted ­criticism from LNP senator Matt Canavan.

“Anthony Albanese’s support for coalmining is conditional on them to not weaponise environmental laws to stop coalmines,” ­Senator Canavan said.

The Greens were swift to reiterate they would ­demand new coal and gas projects be stopped if they held the balance of power.

Dr Ryan, a “teal” Independent challenging Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in Kooyong, yesterday ­stated her stance on what needed to be done on climate was similar to that of ­Warringah’s Zali Steggall.

Ms Steggall’s policy involves cutting Australia’s emissions by 60 per cent by 2030, which involves a move to stop new coal, oil or gas developments.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said that while Mr Albanese supported new coalmines, they would be caught under the safeguard mechanism of Labor’s emissions reduction plan.

Originally published as Federal election 2022: Anthony Albanese backs Qld coalmines that stack up