Media Release

22 May 2019

Palaszczuk must stick with science in the face of political bullying

The Queensland Premier has announced that the Adani mine assessment process will be fast-tracked and that a timeline for approval of the mine will be made public by Friday.

Peter McCallum, coordinator of Mackay Conservation Group, said “This decision follows intense political pressure from the mining industry and the Murdoch press. It is a kick in the guts for all those Queenslanders who were counting on the Palaszczuk Government to make sound scientific decisions on environmental issues.

“Today the Premier has said that she wants the scientific assessment process cut short. There can be only one reason for that, the pressure put on her government by a highly-orchestrated campaign by the mining industry and the Murdoch press.

“Only yesterday the state development minister said that the government needed to thoroughly assess all the environmental impacts of the Adani mine because the Galilee Basin terrain was unknown compared with other coal mining regions of Queensland and there are still outstanding questions to answer.

“Queenslanders are right to be concerned about the Adani mine’s impact on the water that feeds outstanding natural landscapes and provides essential resources for food producers.

"Scientists from the CSIRO and Geoscience Australia have very serious concerns about the affect of Adani's mine on the groundwater systems of Central Queensland.

“We don’t want to see another species pushed to the brink of extinction but a rushed decision on the plight of the Black Throated Finch is likely to do just that.

“Mackay Conservation Group’s members are urging the Premier to remain resolute in supporting sound scientific processes that will ensure Queensland’s water and wildlife are not put at risk by this mining project.

Contact: Peter McCallum 0402 966 560