Mining magnate Clive Palmer says “there might be motion taken” after the federal authorities blocked his proposal for a brand new coal mine in central Queensland.
Key factors:
- Clive Palmer’s Central Queensland Coal Undertaking was rejected on Wednesday
- If accepted, it might have resulted in two open-cut pits north of Rockhampton
- Mr Palmer says the venture hadn’t been given a good go
Federal Atmosphere Minister Tanya Plibersek on Wednesday revealed she rejected the venture due to its dangers to the Nice Barrier Reef, in addition to freshwater creeks and groundwater.
It was the primary time in Australian historical past {that a} coal mine had been rejected beneath nationwide setting legal guidelines.
Mr Palmer stated he “did not anticipate that might occur”.
“We definitely handled all of the minister’s worries and considerations and we have not been given a good go earlier than the minister,” he stated.
“There might be motion taken. I can not actually discuss it.
“I am not the kind of one that would not do something as you have in all probability realised from my historical past.”
The mine, if accepted, would have included two open-cut pits between Ogmore and Marlborough, north of Rockhampton in central Queensland.
The location was 10 kilometres from the sting of the Nice Barrier Reef World Heritage Space.
Ms Plibersek stated in an announcement she took her selections “very severely” and adopted unbiased scientific recommendation.
“The corporate had many alternatives to place their views to me together with once I made a proposed resolution,” she stated.
“I took all their submissions into consideration.”
Ms Plibersek first indicated she would reject the mine in August and sought public session.
The division acquired greater than 9,000 public feedback on the proposal, with greater than 98 per cent in favour of blocking the mine.
Mr Palmer stated his proposal had measures in place to take care of environmental considerations and the rejection was an financial blow to Queensland.
“We have got women and men relying on their jobs and livelihoods and we needed to do what we might to assist it,” he stated.
“These are selections that have an effect on the entire neighborhood, that have an effect on our lifestyle.”
On Thursday, Ms Plibersek stated the Nice Barrier Reef was price about $6 billion a 12 months to the economic system and supported 64,000 jobs.
“Defending the Nice Barrier Reef isn’t just vital environmentally, it is also vital economically,” she stated.
The Queensland authorities had additionally really helpful the mine be rejected.
The mine was anticipated to function for about 20 years, mining a mixture of coking coal used for steelmaking and thermal coal used for electrical energy.
It could have produced about 10 million tonnes of run-of-mine coal a 12 months and employed between 100 to 500 individuals throughout its operations.