Thom Mitchell writes in The New Matilda (21.6.16) that George Brandis claims that the Adani mine is the ‘best shot at economic prosperity in the future’ … and that the threat of a ‘Labor-Greens government’ would see the end of the Adani mine proposal:
‘What if you were a person in Rockhampton who was wondering where your next job was coming from, and you had the prospect of one of Australia;s largest ever coal projects with a very long lifespan being developed and reviving the regional economy’; Brandis mused this morning.
‘That person might also like to know that it’s not safe to bank on, and whether the Federal Government has a plan B for the marginal seat of Capricornia, which George Brandis was trying to woo with his shock and awe campaign.’
Noone seems to mention the job creation through renewable energy projects that have the potential to provide new employment in every Queensland centre – and not only the large ones. The installation and maintenance of solar power across the State could create far more jobs than the 1,460 that Adani admitted in court was a more accurate projection than the 10,000 they had claimed. Many mining jobs are moving offshore as technology makes remote control of machinery feasible.