Green groups with deep pockets

3 JUNE 2017: Would you believe that the activist group at the heart of much of the attack against the Adani Carmichael Coal Project - GetUp! - paid out $4.6 million to their staff last year? That's effectively $4.6 million going into the pockets of inner city green zealots who want to ensure that no money goes into the pockets of workers in this region who are desperate for jobs.It is the actions of this organisation and others which lie at the heart of the total confusion which emanated from the Queensland Government this week on the subject of Adani, royalties and the oversight of any Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund concessional loan for the railway line, should that eventuate.Fortunately though, we end the week with word that the impasse within the inner circle of the Queensland Government has been resolved. I was very pleased to see Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was firm in her commitment to a project which will provide a massive boost to our economy via investment, construction activity and jobs.But back to that root cause - the activist influence of green zealots who, generally, live in our capital cities.These green zealots are totally removed from those of us who live in Central and North Queensland, both geographically and ideologically. They don't understand our struggles, and yet they persist in trying to stuff up our lives.The green zealots also exert influence over a host of other virtue-signalling groups including the likes of Westpac, the ABC and the Australian Medical Association. It's fine for all of these groups of people to have different views to us. But it's totally unacceptable when they seek to stop legitimate business activities by any means at their disposal.GetUp! has overseas millionaire and billionaire backers, and just this week it was revealed that GetUp! received $10.05 million in revenue last year. They spent more than $1 million on advertising and promotion, and I've already mentioned those staff expenses of $4.6 million.While there deservedly should be scrutiny of all foreign entities who seek to do business in our country, nobody deserves the orchestrated, exaggerated extreme green activism which has been unleashed upon Adani over the past six difficult years. The healthy state of finances in the GetUp! bank account (there was still a cool $2.3 million on the balance date when they lodged their details with ASIC) demonstrates the might of the fight against our best interests.There is a simple response though that the people of this region can give. Understand what's going on, and whenever the occasion arises, tell GetUp! to GetOut! of our business. They don't understand our struggles, and yet they persist in trying to stuff up our lives