Mining in Central Queensland has taken a hit after Labor’s Federal Minister for the Environment announced they have officially put a stop to the Central Queensland Coal Project.
This is the first project to be rejected under the Labor Government, with a further 17 other coal and gas applications currently under review. Of the 17 under scrutiny, 11 of these are coal projects located in central and northern Queensland.
Federal Member for Capricornia, Michelle Landry, said that the news is very disappointing and a blow to the region during a time of economic instability.
“We need to have a good think about what props up our nation. Without the resources industry there are no funds to build the big-ticket items.
“Projects like the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail or the $1 billion upgrade to the M1 on the Gold Coast would never have been possible without the mining sector.
“The funding for these projects is created in regional Queensland and is funnelled down to south-east Queensland,” Ms Landry said.
With the cost-of-living crisis crippling many families, job creation ventures are more important than ever.
Senator for Queensland, Matthew Canavan, has stated this decision is not what we need while power prices continue to skyrocket, food is becoming increasingly more expensive and the cost to put fuel in the car is at an all-time high.
“This is not what we need when most Australians are struggling with the cost of living.
“People need jobs so they can pay their mortgages and removing red tape would help reduce inflation by creating a more productive economy,” Senator Canavan said.
Ms Landry said that Labor is continuing to attack the high-vis workers of Australia.
“Of the 9,000 comments that the Minister for the Environment claims to have received, how many of those were from Central Queensland or from the greenies in Victoria?
