$30 million of mining equipment parked and dormant at Oakey’s Acland mine is a powerful metaphor for Premier Palaszczuk’s parked and dormant response to approving Acland Stage 3.

Senator Roberts visited the Acland Mine last Friday and listened to staff and local community members after touring the coalface and rehabilitation areas.

The Acland visit, along with listening to residents who oppose the mine, helped Senator Roberts to satisfactorily address a long list of criteria around Stage 3.

“The only reason the Premier is dodging the final approvals is that she is running scared leading up to October’s election,” stated Senator Roberts.

“Palaszczuk has her eye on the upcoming October election as Labor panders to inner city Green voters and sacrifices mining jobs in regional Queensland to cling to power at all costs.”

“To use outstanding court proceedings as a cloak of delay seems dishonest and gutless since the Palaszczuk Labor government approved Adani despite that mine’s High Court case at the time” added Senator Roberts.

The Environmental Defenders Office, while independent, receives funding from Queensland taxpayers and provides free legal support for these ongoing vexatious claims from Green activists.

Senator Roberts said, “The Queensland government is creating untold uncertainty and anxiety in a community whose prosperity depends on these coal jobs, and their funding of the EDO perpetuates this delay.  “We need opportunities for job creation post COVID-19 and a green light for Acland Stage 3 is perfect timing for Queensland’s economic recovery.”