Australia invokes special powers to fast-track Adani's coal mine project

The Australian Queensland state government has declared Indias Adani Enterprise Ltd controversial Carmichael coal mine project to be of critical in nature and has invoked special powers to fast-track the remaining approvals for the project to go ahead.

Queensland state Development Minister Dr. Anthony Lynham in a statement said the Government had invoked special powers to help progress Adani's 21 billion Australian dollars (15.95 billion U.S. dollars) Carmichael coal and rail project in the Galilee Basin in Western Queensland without any further disruptions.

Lynham said the move would mean less red tape for the project and the Coordinator General can sign off on approvals quickly.

He said the project's special "prescribed project" status had been renewed and expanded to include its water infrastructure.

"This step bundles together major elements of the project for the first time, the mine, the 389-kilometre rail line, and the water infrastructure, including a pipeline, pumping stations and a dam upgrade," he said.

"This Government is serious about having the Adani mine in operation, we want this to happen."

Lynham said water licences were the only outstanding state approvals for the project.

Meanwhile, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reports that Greens Senator Larissa Waters had said that the state government's move in fast-tracking the approval was reckless and short-sighted when they should be focusing on renewable energy projects for job creation.

"Instead, they're prioritising a coal mine owned by an overseas company, that won't pay any tax in Australia, that will generate a fraction of the jobs that it originally claimed, and it will threaten the Great Barrier Reef and the jobs it provides," she said.

Lynham said when the Queensland Government came to power in early 2015 there was a long way to go with the approvals Adani needed before it was able to start construction.

"Since then, 22 key Commonwealth, state and local government approvals have been granted for Adani's mine, rail and port facilities and there have been 29 key milestones reached," he said.

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche described the move as a step forward but said new water license laws introduced to Parliament could lead to more legal obstacles.

"Getting that water licence could open up Adani to more court action, more appeals in the land court and other courts," Roche said.

Lynham said the progress on the project had been achieved while protecting the Great Barrier Reef and meeting Queensland and Commonwealth environmental impact assessment requirements.

Meanwhile, the coal giant had previously said that construction of its controversial Carmichael coal project in Queensland will begin in 2017. Enditem