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Contractor Washes Its Hands Of Adani Work (Read 169 times)
whiteknight
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Contractor Washes Its Hands Of Adani Work
Aug 21st, 2019 at 7:37am
 
Contractor washes its hands of Adani work   Smiley

     August 21, 2019
     The Australian

Adani has been blindsided after a major contractor to its north Queensland coal port decided to walk away after a longstanding relationship.

The Indian mining giant fears protest action has swayed Aur­econ, an engineering and design company, and is concerned other contractors will follow suit.

Aurecon has provided engineering, procurement and construction management services for Adani’s Abbot Point coal port since 2005 and was involved in the terminal’s original development in 1981.


The company yesterday told workers of the decision to end its relationship with Adani, citing a focus on meeting “sustainability commitments”.

Adani Australia chief executive Lucas Dow said he was surprised. “It was a surprise given the strength of the relationship,” Mr Dow said. “They’ve been working on the port operations and our renewables project in Whyalla so the idea they’ve severed ties, particularly when there weren’t any commercial issues or disputes, is a bit of a surprise.”

In a statement last night, ­Aurecon said it would cease working with Adani when its current contact expired in “six to nine months”.

“As part of this decision the firm has also ruled out working on any other Adani group of companies’ projects,” it said.   Smiley

“Aurecon continues to pivot its 7500 people, and their ­capabilities, towards a future-ready business which includes aligning to its sustainability commitments and ongoing ­digital transformation.”

Mr Dow said Adani was ­already in conversation with other businesses to take up ­Aurecon’s substantial contract.

“There are plenty of people wanting to fill that gap and it’s not going to have any impact on the schedule or activities of the (Carmichael) mine and rail ­development, nor for the operation of the port,” he said.

Activist website Market ­Forces, which names and shames companies working on projects it deems environmentally destructive­, has targeted Aurecon in recent months, accusing it of using “Orwellian corporate spin” to say it was not working on the Carmichael mine project.

“If Aurecon doesn’t want to be associated with the climate-busting Adani Carmichael project the solution is obvious. It must end its work for Adani’s Abbot Point coal port,” Market Forces said in March.

Mr Dow said Adani would not be intimidated by “extremists”, including those protesting in Brisbane or closer to the actual mine site in the Galilee Basin.

“That’s really important because there has been a concerted effort from activists to try to target our suppliers and contracting partners but ultimately the only folks they’re damaging are those companies and their employees,” he said.

“We’re seeing a lot of those companies being target are mum-and-dad operations in regional Queensland and I think there’s something fundamentally un-Australian about that.

“We’re committed to seeing the project through. Our commitment is unwavering.”
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