Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators McDonald, McGrath, Rennick, Canavan and Stoker, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the resources industry contributes 1 in every 8 Queensland jobs, and $4.3 billion in royalties shared across the state of Queensland,

  (ii) New Hope Group's expanded Acland mine, in Oakey, is critical for the Queensland economy and especially for jobs in regional Queensland,

  (iii) the successful land rehabilitation practices of the New Hope Group have seen mined land returned to productive pasture and agricultural grazing areas, demonstrating that agriculture and mining are not exclusionary,

  (iv) New Hope has been working constructively with State and Federal governments on approvals for their Stage 3 mine expansion since 2007,

  (v) this expansion will see the mine's life extend until 2031 and increase production from 5.2 million tonnes to 7.5 million tonnes,

  (vi) in September 2019, the mine has reduced its staff from 300 to 150, due to 12 years of delays in receiving the necessary approvals, and

  (vii) due to the State Government inaction, in the face of continued legal action, the mine is likely to run out of coal in early 2021; and

(b) calls on the Queensland Government to expedite the approvals process for the New Acland coal mine and to not allow its approvals process to be delayed where there is no court order preventing the grant of the approvals and the opponents of the project are engaging in a cycle of never ending "lawfare".