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

There continues to be very strong demand for our high-quality coal. That will likely continue given the fact that it is of high-energy content and generally of low ash, which is suiting the needs of countries in our region who want to improve environmental outcomes in their region, including around air quality—not just on climate change. So that demand will continue. The IEA, the International Energy Agency, predicts that demand will increase by over 400 million tonnes in this region in the next couple of decades—a huge opportunity for our country.

What we need, though, is certainty and stability in decision-making. We have an absurd situation at the moment where a coalmine in Queensland—the New Acland stage 3 mine, the New Hope mine—is being held up by the Queensland government. It's approvals are being held up because there's a court case going on, being brought by green activists. It's part of their playbook, and the Queensland government is enabling their playbook at the moment by saying, 'We can't make a decision because there's a court case going on.' There is no legal impediment standing in the way of the Queensland government making this decision. People are losing their jobs right now because the Labor Party, who might have been talking the talk since the election, are still walking the walk with the Australian Greens. (Time expired)