Queensland Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney said a decision was due in early July, but was put off to August and has now been delayed another three months.
This is the second major project put on hold by Kevin Rudd in a week, he said.
“On Tuesday, a decision on the Kevin’s Corner mine in the Galilee Basin was delayed by another 60 business days – effectively three months – until October 30 by [Commonwealth environment minister Mark] Butler,” Seeney said.
“Rudd and his shambolic ministry are an unmitigated failure.
“The Abbot Point expansion is crucial to the future of Queensland and will enable the opening up of the rich resources of the Galilee basin.
“Development of the Galilee Basin holds the potential for $71 billion of new investment in Queensland and the possibility of tens of thousands of new jobs.”
A number of reports had only just been delivered that potentially impact on the Abbot Point assessment, Butler said in a statement.
“Given the significance of the Abbot Point development, both in terms of the economic development of the region and the potential environmental impacts on the Great Barrier Reef, I have decided to release these reports for public information,” Butler said.
“I am conscious of the balance between the economic benefits and environmental concerns associated with any decision on Abbot Point.
“The various significant environmental imperatives must be considered, as does the potential for jobs growth, which is vital for a range of coastal and inland communities.”
The Greens have accused the commonwealth government of failing to knock back the Abbot Point coal port expansion proposal to dump millions of cubic metres of dredge spoil on the Great Barrier Reef.
“The reef didn't need another deferral from Labor today. This threat needed to be ruled out once and for all,” Greens Senator Larissa Waters said.
“The reef must not be used as a dumping ground for the big mining companies.
“No amount of extra information will change the fact that this plan would see three million cubic metres of dredge spoil dumped in a World Heritage Area.
“We don't need to dredge and dump in the Great Barrier Reef to expand a coal port which will turn the Reef into a shipping super highway, at the end of the fossil fuel era – we have renewable alternatives.
“Whether the final decision is now left to a Rudd or Abbott government post-election sadly won't make much difference, judging from the old parties' track record – both have approved every coal and coal seam gas project to come before them under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act.”
