Queensland Labor has Failed

14/06/2019

Coal. One of the major factors behind the Coalition’s re-election almost a month ago, as QLD and regional areas voted against sensible environmental policy to instead receive more propaganda from a failing government about a dying industry. Labor was never perfect on this issue, but they at least had a plan. But now Queensland Labor has put the final nail in the coffin – Adani edges closer and closer.

The final greenlight for the Adani coal mine was given this week, sparking outrage from environmental groups and Indigenous groups. While this allows Adani to begin construction – begin being a formality as they have been caught beginning work twice now – there are still roadblocks and possible barriers to the mine’s continuance.

The first is the Australian Conservation Foundation’s successful appeal against the Federal government, which will force the new Environmental Minister Sussan Ley to reassess Adani’s water management plans. ACF’s Chief Executive, Kelly O’Shanassy, criticised the government saying, “Once again this case outcome shows the Federal Government failed to properly scrutinise Adani’s proposed Galilee Basin coal mine.”

Economically the project is by no means viable, but the environmental concerns are far more important and yet received, comparatively, little mention in the leadup to the election. In fact, the economics of the mine were hardly mentioned either. The focus of almost every media outlet and the politicians was on the costs of Labor’s renewables plan, berating the Opposition for their ‘ambitious’ targets and the outrageous spending.

Ironic that Labor is accused of outrageous spending when the Coalition is the party that slammed through sudden defence contracts worth tens of billions of dollars in the last 12 months, mostly on ‘antiquated’ technology. Isn’t it strange that the only place I heard about this was from a YouTube satirist? The media is just too preoccupied with other nonsense.

The other potential barrier is the Indigenous fight for land rights. Last year, the courts threw out a case put forward by the Wangan and Jagalingou people. Now, the decision to take away their land rights has been appealed and they begin to fight a system they say is against them. That should come as no surprise, seeing as the rights and desires of our Indigenous population have always come second to the corporate nature of Western civilisation.

Adani needs the rights to use the land, and if the Indigenous group can keep them at bay despite all of the odds being stacked against them, we might just see a slight victory in a much larger battle.

If this mine does eventually go ahead completely, calls have been made for it to be entirely commercially run. No government funding, no royalties or tax breaks, nothing. If Adani wishes to continue with this farcical mine, then they should do so alone without the aid of the Australian taxpayer. QLD Labor has a lot to answer for, and I am sure the next State election will not bode well for them.

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