Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald knows well how important the opening up of the Galilee Basin is. According to figures from the Queensland government, the six proposed mines there could deliver more than 15,000 direct jobs to the Queensland economy. That is very important. There are 29 billion tonnes of coal potentially to export and sell from that sector. If we're able to do that, it will create a lot more job opportunities for people.

Senator Macdonald lives in Townsville, so he knows that the Adani company is there right now employing nearly 200 people in what the opposition likes to describe as fake jobs. They think these people are currently in fake jobs. They are real people, some of whom have moved their real families up from Brisbane to work in Townsville, to contribute to the economy, and we want to sustain those jobs. The new leader of the Nationals, Mr Michael McCormack, also understands the importance of those jobs. He visited Adani's offices in the last fortnight, something I don't think any Labor politician has done yet.