Brisbane, Jun 13 (UNI) Criticising the Queensland government's decision to give the final approval to the controversial Adani coal mine, Australian Greens on Thursday charged that the state Labor Government has caved to the pressure of the coal lobby.
Australian Greens Senator for Queensland and spokesperson for mining and resources, Larissa Waters, charged that the Queensland state government approved Adani’s groundwater management plan despite serious concerns by many water experts, traditional owners and farmers about the impacts on groundwater and ancient springs.
The mine, in Queensland's Galilee Basin, has been the subject of years of hold-ups over environmental approvals.
But it was given the go-ahead by the state government on Thursday, after earlier receiving federal approval.
Critics say the project's true environmental impact remains unclear.
"Donors and politics trumped science today -- but this fight is not over," Ms Waters said.
"While this was the final state-level mine site approval Adani had been waiting for, they still don’t have approval for their railway or pipeline, or federal sign-off on two water research plans. Adani want us to believe that it’s all done and dusted, but if they break ground now, they could be breaking federal environmental law," Ms Waters added.
"The big parties might have caved in to their coal donors, but we stand with you demanding a safe future and real, lasting jobs for central Queensland communities," she further said.
This is not over -- we won’t give up this fight for our climate and our future."
Ms Waters said the campaign to Stop Adani is bigger than anything we’ve seen -- hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets to rally against this climate bomb of a mine, and we’re not going away! Community campaigns have won against big polluters and big corporate interests before, and we will again.
"We will use everything we have available in our parliament, our courts and on the streets. Our movement for a safe climate and jobs justice for workers will triumph..."
"Adani, the Queensland Labor Government and the federal Coalition Government want us to think that this coal mine is now inevitable - but they didn’t count on you," she further added.
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