Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I intend to give the minister a hat-trick here this afternoon. My question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. Can the minister update the Senate on the status of the Adani Carmichael Mine? Have there been any further developments in the progression of this very important project?

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

I thank Senator O'Sullivan for his question and his longstanding interest in developing regional Queensland. The government is very supportive of seeing the Adani Carmichael coalmine be developed. It will create thousands of jobs in North Queensland, and we are all about trying to support projects that create jobs for hardworking Australians in this country. I want my children to have opportunities in the region. The people that I live near in North Queensland want their children to have opportunities in the region. They want them to have a future and not have to travel hundreds of kilometres away to find jobs and opportunities. They would like them to have a future in their region, and projects like the Adani Carmichael mine can help achieve that.

I and the Premier of Queensland and eight Queensland mayors have travelled to India in the last fortnight to meet the Indian government and the Adani corporate group to discuss their plans for the mine. We have heard reports that the mine is likely to go ahead. Mr Adani himself has been reported as saying that the mine will definitely proceed. There are further decisions to be made by the Adani group, but it will be a good news day for this country when this mine can proceed. It will be the first new coal based open mine in this country for more than 40 years. In my part of the world, opportunities were created by the opening of the Bowen and Surat basins. In other parts of our country, mines have been built and developed in the Hunter Valley. When we open up a new mining resource area it is not just about the individual project that starts it; it is about all the other projects and services that come in behind it. So while this project can create thousands of jobs in and of itself, when we open up a new basin other mines might open in the area. Other services will come to North Queensland and create a vibrant and thriving industry.

May I say too to those who might not support this that it will also create more tourism opportunities on the Great Barrier Reef, because people who live near the Great Barrier Reef tend to holiday at the Great Barrier Reef as well, so more people in North Queensland will be very good for our tourism operators in North Queensland as well.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan, a supplementary question.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate what people in regional Queensland are saying about the Carmichael Mine project?

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

As I said in my answer to the first question, eight Queensland mayors travelled to India in the last week to hear from Adani and express their own support for this project.

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

These mayors represent hundreds of thousands of North Queenslanders, and they are fully behind and support this project, and I think their voices deserve to be heard. Senator Macdonald is absolutely right: these mayors are from different political persuasions. They come from different political parties. They do not always share my views on every issue, but we are all one and united in North Queensland in our support for this project. Graham Scott, the Chairman of Capricorn Enterprises, said: 'I just wish out-of-town activists would get their facts straight on Adani. If they did, they would understand why there is so much community support in Central Queensland for it to go ahead.' Vanessa Rauluni from Coal Train said: 'This project will create thousands of jobs for Central Queensland. It saddens me to see uninformed people from outside Central Queensland making moral judgements about our community.' Please, I ask those commenting on Adani to listen to the people that live there first. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan, a final supplementary question.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note that there has been much recent public commentary regarding the Adani project, and I ask the minister if he could explain to the Senate the nature of this commentary.

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

There has been a lot of active and passionate commentary, and I respect people with different views in this debate. Can I say that upfront.

Senator McKenzie interjecting—

I will take the interjection from Senator McKenzie, because we have seen a different point of view today in the Senate chamber from a group that do not respect views that are opposed to their own. They preach diversity and they preach that they are not prejudiced, but we just saw the most prejudiced, ill-informed bile from the leader of the Greens party today. When it comes to a company from another country, because it is doing a project he does not like, he jumps to conclusions. He has no evidence at all to bring to the debate, but he is acting in the most prejudiced and non-diverse way possible for a senator. What I would ask of those that oppose this mine is to please listen to the people of North Queensland. Please listen to the people that might have a different view to you, have an open mind, engage in the discussion and realise that we can have a strong economy and protect the environment as well. We can have thousands of jobs and protect our Great Barrier Reef as well.