Mackay Conservation Group welcomes ACF Legal Action
Mackay Conservation Group has welcomed the announcement today that the Australian Conservation Foundation will challenge the approval of the Adani Carmichael mine.
The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has several grounds on which it is appealing the Federal Government's approval of the mine.
Most significantly, ACF will be arguing that the federal environment minister has failed to consider the serious impact on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area that will result from burning the coal mined at the Carmichael mine.
Under the World Heritage Convention, the Australian Government is entrusted to maintain the Great Barrier Reef's natural and cultural values for the world community.
Mackay Conservation Group acting coordinator, Peter McCallum, said "we welcome the intervention of Australia's pre-eminent environmental organisation in this legal process."
"We appealed against the previous approval for this mine and Greg Hunt (the Federal Minister for Environment) admitted to failing to consider advice about two threatened species that would be impacted."
"Mr Hunt has now re-approved the mine with what we consider significant shortfalls such as permitting the proponent to alter permit conditions without seeking a further re-approval."
"Ultimately this is a battle between overseas resource companies who wish to make vast profits from mining and those who wish to see the Great Barrier Reef protected for the entire community."
