Gillard ramps up pressure over reef row

by chief political correspondent Simon Cullen

Updated June 06, 2012 12:18:55


Test pit mining starts near Alpha, east of Longreach in central-west Queensland in November, 2010.

The Alpha Coal Project’s location in the Galilee Basin means it could have an impact on the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has written a strongly worded letter to Queensland Premier Campbell Newman, accusing his Government of undermining community confidence in the approval process for major resource projects.

The letter is a further escalation in the war of words between the Commonwealth and the Queensland Government over a multi-billion-dollar mining project in central Queensland.

The Alpha Coal Project’s location in the Galilee Basin means it could have an impact on the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

The state and federal governments had been working together on a single environmental approval process for the $6.5 billion project, but Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke says Queensland has not upheld its end of the deal.

He says the Queensland approval process had been “hopeless” and falls “abysmally short” of what is required under the bilateral agreement.

In a letter to Mr Newman, Ms Gillard writes that any “breach of this agreement is unacceptable to the Commonwealth”.

“I am particularly concerned that Queensland’s decision has immediately put at risk community and business confidence in the ability of Queensland to work with the Commonwealth,” she wrote.

“The Commonwealth will, as a result, work directly with Alpha Coal to complete the assessment process and resolve any remaining uncertainties for the project.”

Representatives from the mining project have been meeting Federal Government officials in Canberra.

Mr Newman has told ABC Local Radio that he would be happy for the Commonwealth to take over the approval process if necessary.

“I don’t care particularly how it’s done, he [Tony Burke] can actually approve the project as far as I’m concerned, but approve it he must, subject to conditions,” Mr Newman said.

Mr Newman has offered to send Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney to Canberra tomorrow to meet directly with Mr Burke.

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First posted June 06, 2012 12:14:45

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