Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who has been a strong supporter of the Adani project because of its promise of more jobs for central Queensland workers, was interrupted by an anti-Adani protestor while making the announcement of the election over the weekend.
“As promised, we are working with business and industry, and so far – together – we have created 122,500 new jobs,” she said.
“Our unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in four years.
“Agriculture, housing, construction and resource sectors are rebounding strongly.”
However, protest groups were quick to claim that the Queensland government’s support for the Adani mine would cost it jobs.
The Stop Adani Alliance said nearly two-thirds of Queenslanders opposed a $1 billion taxpayer-funded loan to Adani, and half of voters in Queensland were against it coal plans outright.
Australian Conservation Foundation president Geoff Cousins said the election would help decide the future of the Great Barrier Reef.
“The dramatic impacts of climate change are already being felt right across Queensland,” he said.
“The Great Barrier Reef has suffered two severe coral bleaching events in a row, and drought declared areas of Queensland are desperate for rain as heat records tumble.
“Now is not the time to dig the biggest coal mine Australia has ever seen.”
Queensland Campaigner for the Australian Youth Climate Coalition Millie Anthony said tens of thousands of Queenslanders were already onboard the Stop Adani campaign.
“Burning coal is not our future,” he said.
“Young people want to see clean energy, strong climate action, and protections for our Reef. We’re young, we want to stop Adani’s devastating coal mine, we vote and we’re getting active for our future.”
Mackay Conservation Group coordinator Peter McCallum there was a lot of local concern and opposition to Adani.
“The $1 billion publicly funded loan to Adani is as popular in Mackay as the flu,” he said.
“Adani doesn’t pay their fines. They don't pay their taxes. Why on earth would we lend them $1 billion of taxpayers’ money?”
