Adani announcement cause for celebration

JUNE 6, 2017: THE announcement today by Adani’s Gautam Adani that his company has made their final investment decision and will proceed with the massive Carmichael coal, rail and port project is cause for celebration throughout Central and North Queensland.This is an historic day, and it is significant that the announcement by Adani that they’ve signed off on their investment decision on the Carmichael Coal Project has been made on Queensland Day.It’s a great day for Queensland and particularly for those in Central and North Queensland who have had hopes raised and dashed numerous times as they await the jobs and business activity this project will create.Adani have announced in Townsville today that they have signed letters of award for design, construction, operations, supply of materials and professional services for the Carmichael mine in the Galilee Basin.Today also marked the opening of Adani’s regional headquarters in Townsville, and of course Mackay, Bowen and Rockhampton will all serve as hubs for the project.This is the biggest investment in Australia by an Indian company ever, and Adani has fought the biggest fight to get to this point.However the common sense need for jobs and investment for our region is totally lost on green activists in the south, and they’re still dishing out attacks and propaganda today but people should be heartened to know they’re fighting a losing battle.As my colleague Matt Canavan, the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, stated today ‘the time for waiting is over and the time for doing is beginning’.I stand by my position of constant and unwavering support for the Carmichael Coal Project and I pay tribute to Adani representatives for their perseverance in the face of a barrage of opposition and obstacles.[box style="1 or 2"]SOME FACTS

• A Price Waterhouse Coopers report found the Carmichael Coal Project would result in 8,291 jobs during construction and 11,830 jobs in operation.
• A GHD analysis found the benefit to Queensland from the project over its first six years would be $1.2billion per year and by the 2030s the impact increases to $750 million a year for the regional economy and around $2.8billion a year for the state economy.[/box]