A senior Queensland government minister denies there is a rift in
Labor ranks over the issue of a proposed “royalties holiday” for the mining company Adani.
There are reports the government is set to offer Adani a deal to waive a big portion of its royalties for the first few years of the operation of its Carmichael mine in north Queensland’s Galilee Basin to help get the project off the ground.
There is speculation the Left faction of Queensland Labor could band together to oppose such a deal when cabinet discusses the issue this week.
The government frontbencher Cameron Dick said on Sunday no deal had been finalised and he wasn’t aware of any split over the issue.
“I’m not aware of any split in cabinet about that, cabinet has discussed Adani on many occasions and will no doubt do so in the future,” Dick told reporters on Sunday. “It is an important project for regional Queensland.”
The opposition frontbencher Scott Emerson on Sunday said it was clear to him that the government was divided over the issue.
“The LNP is very clear, we back this project because it will create jobs for Queenslanders,” he told reporters. “In contrast Labor is divided. This is a government in crisis over this project.”
Reports by the ABC late last week outlined a potential royalties holiday offered to Adani could see them pay just $2m a year for the first seven years of their Carmichael mine’s operation.
The shortfall to the state’s coffers was estimated at about $350m overall but the government has repeatedly denied the details of the deal, and said it was yet to finalise negotiations.
There are reports the government is set to offer Adani a deal to waive a big portion of its royalties for the first few years of the operation of its Carmichael mine in north Queensland’s Galilee Basin to help get the project off the ground.
There is speculation the Left faction of Queensland Labor could band together to oppose such a deal when cabinet discusses the issue this week.
The government frontbencher Cameron Dick said on Sunday no deal had been finalised and he wasn’t aware of any split over the issue.
“I’m not aware of any split in cabinet about that, cabinet has discussed Adani on many occasions and will no doubt do so in the future,” Dick told reporters on Sunday. “It is an important project for regional Queensland.”
The opposition frontbencher Scott Emerson on Sunday said it was clear to him that the government was divided over the issue.
“The LNP is very clear, we back this project because it will create jobs for Queenslanders,” he told reporters. “In contrast Labor is divided. This is a government in crisis over this project.”
Reports by the ABC late last week outlined a potential royalties holiday offered to Adani could see them pay just $2m a year for the first seven years of their Carmichael mine’s operation.
The shortfall to the state’s coffers was estimated at about $350m overall but the government has repeatedly denied the details of the deal, and said it was yet to finalise negotiations.
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