Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au

Aaron Bunch
Approve the mine to save jobs: Canavan

Resources Minister Matt Canavan wants the Queensland premier to approve a controversial coal mine expansion after a court decision was found to be biased.

September 11, 2019

Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan has called on the Queensland government to immediately approve a controversial coal mine expansion to save workers’ jobs.

New Hope Group’s New Acland coal mine in the Darling Downs, near Toowoomba, had hoped the Brisbane Court of Appeal decision on Tuesday would clear the way for the state government to grant final approvals for the project.

But the court hearing the Oakey Coal Action Alliance appeal found media reports had enraged a judge and biased an earlier decision in the long-running legal battle.

As a result, the future of the $900 million third stage expansion is unclear despite the court throwing out the farmers’ last-ditch legal bid to stop the project.

On Wednesday, Mr Canavan said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk should step in to fix the “green lawfare debacle”.

He said the expansion would extend the mine’s life until 2031 and boost annual production from 5.2 million tonnes to 7.5 million tonnes.

“The mine currently employs 300 workers and the planned expansion would secure those jobs and create even more for the region,” he said in a statement.

Earlier, the Court of Appeal rejected the farmers’ appeal against a Supreme Court decision that found the Land Court had no jurisdiction to consider the mining operation’s potential impact on groundwater when it refused the project in 2017.

The judges also found apprehended bias in the decision after the judge became “extreme and irrational” over a media report.

It suggested his holiday before the decision was handed down could have led to job losses at the mine, a statement he perceived was made by the New Hope Group.

It resulted in the court making a draft order referring the company’s applications back to the Land Court, with both sides to file submissions on the next move by Monday.

Lawyers for Oakey Coal Action Alliance says the decision could invalidate the Land Court’s decision and the 100-day trial may need to be re-heard.

It also means 150 coal workers could be out of a job.

In late-August, the company began an eight-week process to make half its workforce redundant in anticipation of work running out for them in November if the expansion wasn’t approved.

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