Adani: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Meets With Chairman, Reiterates Support For Mine

ABC News - James Bennett


Malcolm Turnbull says there is 'very strong support' for changing Native Title legislation (ABC News)

Key points: A Senate inquiry threw into question more than 100 mining and pastoral agreements with Native Title holders — including one covering the Carmichael project PM Turnbull met with Guatam Adani and senior executives of the Adani mine Adani is seeking a $900-million Federal Government loan for a railway link to the port; Mr Turnbull said the loan is outside his control

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has told the Adani Group chairman the issue of Native Title in Australia will soon be resolved, which could clear the way for the controversial Carmichael coal mine.
Mr Turnbull met privately with Gautam Adani and senior Adani executives for approximately half an hour last night in New Delhi, during the Prime Minister's three-day state visit to India.
The meeting came as Mr Adani prepared to make a final investment decision on the $21-billion Carmichael mine in Queensland's Galilee basin — which, if built, would be Australia's biggest.
A recent federal court ruling threw into question more than 100 proposed land use agreements with Native Title holders, including one covering Adani's Carmichael project.
The Federal Government is trying to pass legislation which would reverse that court ruling and make it easier for the deals to be registered.
It is understood Mr Adani asked Mr Turnbull during their meeting for a resolution to uncertainty over Native Title.
"Mr Adani noted that this is an issue for his development, but frankly it's an issue for just about every development in Australia where native title issues are involved," Mr Turnbull told reporters in New Dehli.
The Coalition and Labor agree the recent court decision needs to be reversed but will not be able to pass changes until Parliament returns next month.
The Wangan Jagalingou Traditional Owners Council, which claims the project impinges on their rights, questioned Mr Turnbull's assurance of a fix to Native Title uncertainty.
Marrawa Johnson, a spokeswoman for the tribe's governing council, said the Government was attempting to register a spurious Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA).
"So I guess what he's promising is that there will be a legislative change that could allow for Adani's fake ILUA to be registered," Ms Johnson told The World Today.
"But at the moment with other legal cases we have running Adani can't just rely on the Australian Government to change the law for them and think that they can build the largest coal mine in the world in our country and destroy who we are as people.
"Adani only has seven out of the 12 signatures that they need. So at the moment while the amendments have not been passed through the Senate to the Native Title act, Adani's ILUA is dead.
"They don't have what they need to even be considered for registration with the Native Title Tribunal."

No promise of loan for Abbot Point rail link

Abbot Point is located about 25 kilometres north of Bowen on the north Queensland Coast, near the vast coal reserves of the Galilee Basin

Adani is also seeking a $900-million Federal Government loan for a railway linking the mine to port, from the Government's Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund.
It is understood Mr Adani acknowledged to Mr Turnbull that the loan needed independent approval.

Wetlands: Before & After

Satellite imagery appears to show sediment-laden water flowing from the nearby Abbot Point Coal Terminal prompting an investigation.

"The funding, were it to be made for part of the railway, is only a relatively small part of the total capital that is required for this coal mine and associated infrastructure," Mr Turnbull said.
Earlier yesterday Mr Turnbull said while he was "looking forward" to meeting Mr Adani, the loan was outside his control.
Mr Turnbull also said he supported exporting Australian coal and other resources to India to assist with India's "enormous need" for more electricity.

"We play a big role as a coal exporter of course and [we are] now in a position to export uranium," Mr Turnbull said.

Environmental activists have threatened to disrupt construction if the mine goes ahead, arguing the emissions from burning coal will drive climate change and threaten Queensland's Great Barrier Reef.

Trade talks to be resuscitated
Separately, following a lengthy one-on-one meeting with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday, last night Mr Turnbull re-iterated the two leaders' decision to work out what stood between them on trade.
"That is a very important prime-ministerial commitment to getting on with it and dealing with it and identifying where the parties are close, where they're apart," Mr Turnbull said.
"The process needed some energy, and it has been re-energised today."
Former prime minister Tony Abbott visited India in 2014 and set the ambitious target of signing a free trade agreement by 2015, but since then there has been little, if any, progress.

Planning Australia's biggest mine

Step through the key events in the planning of Australia's biggest mining project, the Carmichael coal mine in remote central Queensland.

At a speech on India-Australia education links last night, Mr Turnbull praised Mr Modi for agreeing that progress had been "too slow" and that the talks should be resuscitated.
"We have agreed to direct our chief negotiators to meet as soon as possible," Mr Turnbull said, describing the development as an "important prime-ministerial commitment to getting on with it".
The Prime Minister's comments last night reflect a change of attitude from his criticism of Indian protectionism ahead of his meeting with Mr Modi.
"It will take some time," Mr Turnbull warned when asked about progress on the deal.

"India has a long tradition of protection, particularly for agriculture."

Neither side has committed to a timeframe for concluding a deal.
Adani's complex corporate web (ABC News)

Links

• Black wetland photograph 'misleading', Adani says
• Before and after: Wetlands near Abbot Point Coal Terminal turn black
• 'Tremendous opportunity' for Australia as India seeks power in its own right
• The $6b-a-year asset that is dying on our watch
• Great Barrier Reef tourism on the rocks 
• Adani coal mine: green groups fume over plan for $1b federal loan
• 'Irreversible consequences': Adani coalmine granted unlimited water access for 60 years
• Anti-Adani activists vow 'direct action' against mine contractor Downer
• Adani mine leases and national parks in doubt after native title court decision
• Most Australians oppose government's $1bn Adani loan for coal railway line
• Adani coalmine activists gear up to fight: ‘This will dwarf the Franklin blockade’
• Voters near proposed Adani mine oppose public loan for rail line, poll finds
• Barnaby Joyce endorses loan for Adani's Carmichael coalmine
• Adani Carmichael mine: Australia Institute demands answers from Turnbull in full-page ad
• Opposition to public funding for Adani rail link outweighs support, poll finds