Press release – 8 November, 2015Sydney, 9 November 2015 – Greenpeace Australia Pacific applauds the crucial legal challenge to the Carmichael megamine that was lodged today by the Australian Conservation Foundation.The
challenge
is a judicial review of last month’s approval of the controversial Carmichael megamine in Queensland by Environment Minister Greg Hunt.
“The Carmichael coal mine would be an absolute disaster for the Great Barrier Reef, our climate and the local environment if it proceeds,” said Shani Tager, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Reef Campaigner.
“They want a 28,000-hectare coal mine which will be responsible for 120 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year and require millions of tonnes of seafloor in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area to be dredged.
“If Minister Hunt and the Turnbull Government were serious about protecting the environment, they would have rejected this mine the first and the second time it came across their desks.
“It’s clear that they cannot be relied on to make decisions in the best interests of the community and the environment, so this legal challenge by the Australian Conservation Foundation is crucial,” said Ms Tager.
Queensland treasury officials have called the mine “unbankable” and 14 international banks have said they won’t fund the project, which still needs $16 billion to proceed.
ENDS