State holds up flow of jobs at Abbot Point

AUGUST 10, 2015: JOBS that would have been created at Abbot Point will be on hold this year because the State Labor Government continues to drag the chain on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the port expansion.I have been advised by Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt that the State government had not submitted an EIS for the port expansion despite State Mines Minister Anthony Lynham claiming on ABC radio today that the EIS had been lodged with the Commonwealth.This unacceptable delay by the State Labor government has cost jobs this year and these are jobs so desperately needed right now by communities across North Queensland such as Mackay, Bowen and Townsville.Labor’s State Development Minister Anthony Lyneham has said he’s submitted the EIS to the federal government but he hasn’t.The State Labor government is not being honest with the workers of North Queensland regarding the state of play for the expansion of the port at Abbot Point.Once the State government submits its EIS application with the federal government, the minimum legal timeframes set out under the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act require a 12-week assessment.This means that even if the State had submitted their EIS today, it wouldn't be approved until November.[box style="1 or 2"]The State Labor government, when it assumed office, jettisoned Campbell Newman's previous Abbot Point expansion application and restarted their own.Delays from the State government since then meant dredging work that should have started this year was unlikely to happen.The State Labor government chose to jettison Campbell Newman’s Abbot Point expansion application and start a new one and they’ve stuffed with that application ever since then to the point where it’s almost impossible for any dredging work to start this year.[/box]If the State government had submitted the EIS even a month ago, dredging at Abbot Point could have started this year, providing immediate jobs for needy centres such as Bowen and Mackay.This is one aspect of this massive coal project which could have provided some immediate relief for people in the region who are desperate for work.Because of the State government stuffing around, it’s an opportunity that’s gone begging.The Carmichael Mine approval which was just overturned in the courts and which is now being reassessed by the Commonwealth is different to the Abbot Point port expansion application.The Carmichael mine reassessment is still on track to take six to eight weeks to sort out.