The ABC’s Michael Slezak reports (10.8.18) on the release of documents that Adani fought to keep secret, appearing to show both the company and the Queensland Government knew it was likely to breach its licence before it spilled polluted water into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
‘Adani has been fighting to hide details of what it told the Queensland Government about the risk of pollution to the Great Barrier Reef ahead of Cyclone Debbie in 2017.
‘Now, conservationists say documents and a series of emails obtained through freedom of information laws appear to show the company and the Queensland Government knew the pollution would be so bad it would break the law.
‘The details are revealed in an exchange over the company’s temporary pollution licence and it starts on March 27, 2017.
‘… Documents uncovered using freedom of information laws show that morning, Adani realised the large amount of rain falling into its storage pools would likely cause them to overflow onto important wetlands next door to the site.
‘Satellite imagery released a few months later shows the wetlands covered in polluted water after the storm. The ABC can now reveal the content of those documents, including a section Adani has fought for the past year to keep secret.
‘That section suggests that later on March 27, while Adani was applying for a last-minute extension to its temporary pollution licence, it appeared to know the water it was likely to dump would be so polluted it would breach the licence.’
- Adani spent a year trying to hide this information on its reef spill »
- Adani avoids multi-million-dollar fine over Abbot Point sediment water discharge »
- Adani prosecuted over release of coal-laden water near Great Barrier Reef »
- Adani facing government probe into latest coal terminal water release into wetlands »
- Latest twist in the Adani saga reveals shortcomings in environmental approvals »
- Former Indian environment minister sounds alarm on Adani’s track record, mega-mine’s viability »