Mining Skirmishes: Deputy-Premier Gets His Hands Dirty

Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney today announced that the $1.2B Fitzroy Terminal Project proposed for the central Queensland coast will progress to the final environmental assessment stage.

Mr Seeney said the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the coal-shipping terminal near Rockhampton would focus on the impact of a 1.3km train line servicing the coal port, and the potential marine impact, commenting that the project would use “barges and trans-shipping technology to avoid the need for major port structures or significant dredging.”

“I’m delighted that the Queensland Coordinator-General has approved the final terms of reference for the EIS for the proposed coal export facility,” said Mr Seeney. “It means we are one step closer to knowing if the project is fit to be approved.”

Mr Seeney said the proposed export facility would service existing coal rail-lines at Moura and Blackwater connected via the 1.3km rail spur, and would be capable of exporting up to 22 million tons of coal, which is no small amount.

However, that’s not the only development as Mr Seeney has had a busy day in the ever-expanding world of mining, offering a grim warning to Prime Minister Julia Gillard over her government’s attitude towards mining in Australia.

Managing Director of mining giant Rio Tinto has told of a changing sentiment towards Australian mining amongst foreign investors and international companies at a private function in Brisbane today, warning of a fear of “over-exposure to Australia” in investor circles. Mr Seeney has taken the message to heart and warns the Gillard Government that increased “green tape” and taxes may drive investors offshore.

“When the Managing Director of one of the world’s biggest mining companies warns that the carbon tax and costs and delays in delivering new projects are affecting investor sentiment towards Australia, it’s very worrying,” said Mr Seeney.

These statements clearly show the NewMan Government’s strategy of building in place enough infrastructure to make mining and exploration in Queensland inevitable, as they continue to fight for a lowering of restrictions and the abolishment of taxes and environmental offsets for large mining corporations.

One is forced to wonder exactly where this campaign will cease, with recent moves made at the Council of Australian Governments meeting to de-regulate environmental procedures, as well as the controversial plan to remove koalas from the register of protected species to liberate large tracts of arable land from the thrall of environmental protection and permit development so they can “finally make some money off of this bitch*.” Who knows? There is no apparent end-game yet, just a path to more mining dollars.

Fuck it. Maybe they’ll give us a cut.

(*Quote not necessarily attributed to Jeff Seeney or the Newman Govt)

Further reading here, here and here.