Strewth Grappler has got the blues!!!
Adani is playing the Qld "govt" like a fish on a line.
Anny Pally in panic mode as Pauline prepares to pick up the pieces and rule Qld where she is a folk hero.
Adani baulks on mine as Labor brawlsSARAH ELKS Queensland political reporter Brisbane The Australian12:00AM May 23, 2017
Giant Indian conglomerate Adani has cancelled a crucial final investment decision on its $16.5 billion Queensland mine after Labor’s left faction revolted against Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on a royalties deal.After years of negotiations and government approvals, Adani last night indefinitely postponed a board meeting scheduled for next Monday in India, blaming the delay on the failure of Ms Palaszczuk’s divided cabinet to decide on royalties.
A politically wounded Ms Palaszczuk was last night accused of allowing a factional stoush — led by Deputy Premier and left faction leader Jackie Trad — to undermine her leadership and threaten the 10,000 jobs, direct and indirect, which Adani claims would flow from the controversial Galilee Basin mine.
The split in Labor is deep, with federal Labor leader Bill Shorten opposing a low-interest taxpayer loan of up to $1bn from the federal government’s Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility for the project’s 800km rail line.
There are concerns the delay also risks a lifeline to Arrium’s struggling South Australian steelworks, from which Adani said it would source steel for its rail line.
A royalties concession or deferral for Adani — worth up to $320m — was expected to be decided at yesterday’s cabinet meeting. But Ms Trad came out publicly beforehand and declared any “royalties holiday” for Adani would break Labor’s election pledge of no taxpayer subsidies for the mine. Cabinet’s expected decision on a royalties arrangement with Adani was discussed and deferred.
The Australian understands Adani will not make a final investment decision until Ms Palaszczuk, a member of the right faction, can deliver certainty, while she, Ms Trad and Treasurer Curtis Pitt negotiate a solution palatable to Labor’s factions.
It is understood some left ministers would be willing to back a royalties deal as long as Adani agreed to ramp-up royalty payments in the project’s early years, rather than towards the end of its lifespan.
The proposed mine has a forecast 60-year life, which Adani estimates would generate $22bn in mining taxes and royalties in the mine’s first three decades.
Last night a spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk said the “timing of Adani meetings is a matter for Adani”.
“The government wants a standard approach across the Galilee and Surat basins and the north-west minerals province to give certainty for all proponents and ensure they pay all royalties they owe,” he said.
Liberal National Party leader Tim Nicholls accused the minority government of putting in “serious jeopardy” the future of the Carmichael mine, because of the ongoing “Palaszczuk v Trad” battle.
“This inaction from Annastacia Palaszczuk has cost Queenslanders thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of much-needed investment and royalties,” Mr Nicholls said. “Today was a test of Annastacia Palaszczuk’s leadership — and she failed.”
“Labor has strung Adani along for two years (since the election) and have now pulled the rug from under them just days before the investment decision.”
Some senior Labor strategists acknowledge the internal party strife over Adani will hurt the party in regional Queensland state seats where Pauline Hanson’s One Nation is a growing threat.
Activist group GetUp!— which has campaigned hard against the Adani project — yesterday celebrated Ms Trad’s declaration that no royalties holiday would be given to the Indian company, while the Labor Environment Action Network also took credit for pressing ALP members to lobby Ms Palaszczuk on the issue.
Townsville Mayor and ALP member Jenny Hill, who travelled to India with Ms Palaszczuk to meet Adani recently and has been promised her city will be a base for some of Adani’s operations, was last night exasperated by the delay.
“We’ve got over 12 per cent unemployment, youth unemployment is one of the highest in the country; it’s causing social issues and we’re losing people south,” Ms Hill said.
“Adani would deliver at least 800 jobs in terms of its mining operations, and more from fly-in, fly-out … there’s a major benefit for Queensland through royalties and GST that comes back to the Queensland people.”
“There have been royalties deals structured with companies in the past, why should Adani be any different?”’
Queensland Greens senator Larissa Waters accused Adani of throwing a “tantrum to bully the Queensland Labor government”.
“So far, Adani is in line for a $1bn handout, unlimited free water, new legal loopholes, special changes to native title, a free pass on reef destruction,” Senator Waters said. “Malcolm Turnbull and Queensland Labor need to stand up to these bullies, veto the $1bn handout, say no to giving them freebies at the taxpayers’ expense and abandon their support for this mega-mine”.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/adani-baulks-on-carmichae...