Statement: Welcome progress on Galilee rail-port project

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Green groups slam it as backers spruik jobs

[ozbob]

The Guardian -->Adani's Carmichael coal rail line may not be eligible for government funding

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Drilling into the numbers for Queensland

Adani's Carmichael mine and rail project has been touted as a massive boost for Queensland's economy.

But when you drill down into the numbers, what does the Indian company's plans actually mean for Queensland?
Adani mine project moves forward

Jobs, regional investement, and the battle against climate change... all will benefit, say Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Adani CEO Jeyakumar Janakaraj at an announcement in Townsville. Vision courtesy ABC News 24

On Tuesday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was in Townsville to meet with Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and announce the city will be home to the Carmichael mine's regional headquarters.

What is the project?

The $21.7 billion Adani project will include a 45-kilometre open cut and underground coal mine in the Galilee Basin, including six open-cut pits and five underground mines.

It will be the largest coal mine in Australia and one of the biggest in the world, and is set to operate for between 50 and 60 years.

When fully operational, the mine is expected to export 60 million tonnes of thermal coal a year.

The Indian multinational conglomerate Adani Group has announced construction would begin on the Carmichael project in mid-2017.

In total, 388 kilometres of rail line will need to be build, including about 310 kilometres connecting the northern Galilee Basin to the Port of Abbot Point, with coal trains running 24/7.

The 247,000 square kilometre Galilee Basin is in central Queensland, about 200 kilometres west of the Bowen Basin, extending north past Hughenden, south to Charleville and west beyond Winton and Middleton.

Adani has also proposed to establish a $200 million large-scale solar project near Moranbah.

How much money is involved?

Construction is expected to generate $78 million per year in direct and indirect impacts on the Mackay regions and $203 million for Queensland.

Production is expected to generate $176.6 million per year in the Mackay region and $274.1 million for the state.

There would also be $5.5 billion in royalties/taxes in the first 10 years.

There has been speculation that $1 billion in loans will be provided under the federal government's Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility to construct the rail line from the mine to Abbot Point port.

But the federal government said Adani would only be granted a concessional loan if it cannot raise the money from the private sector.

Ms Palaszczuk said the announcement that the regional headquarters would be in Townsville would be a boost for the city, which was hit hard by the collapse of businessman-turned-politician Clive Palmer's Queensland Nickel.

But Mr Palmer told Fairfax Media the $1 billion of taxpayers' money could be spent to "maybe create 600 jobs" while $10 million was not spent to save 3000 jobs at his refinery.

Earlier this year, administrators for Queensland Nickel, FTI Consulting, requested a $10 million loan guarantee from the state government to keep open the refinery, near Townsville.

At the time, the state government would only consider the request if Mr Palmer was removed from the company.

What's the deal with the rail line?

Adani said the rail line and port facilities had the potential to "assist the development of other proposed mines in the Galilee Basin".

"The rail will be an open access infrastructure to support other coal mines in Galilee and Bowen Basin and will be a growth engine for the economy of the Queensland State of Australia," Adani Australia's website reads.

Adani proposes to construct a standard gauge rail line, which is more common in New South Wales and Victoria, while most of the rail used in Queensland is narrow gauge.

Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said standard gauge would allow the trains to carry more coal and was unlikely to cause cross-over issues with Queensland's network.

"It is a coal railway and it's fairly isolated, it's there for one specific purpose and that's to take coal from the mines to the port," Mr Dow said.

A spokeswoman for Natural Resources and Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said the proposed rail line was always intended to be a multi-user rail line to transport coal from the Galilee Basin.

"Discussions are still underway with Adani as to how they will achieve it," she said.

How many jobs will it create?

The project has widely been promoted as creating 10,000 jobs, including by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

But in April 2015, Adani's own expert, Jerome Fahrer from ACIL Allen conceded 1464 jobs would be created.

However, Adani has stood by the 10,000 jobs claim, with a spokesman saying its figures included contributions from the mine, the Abbot Point coal terminal near Bowen, and the rail line connecting the two.

On Tuesday, Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan said the project would deliver thousands of jobs.

"It is not just about the jobs in the mining sector," Mr Canavan said.

"It's also going to create an economic ecosystem where there'll be more jobs for secretaries, for lawyers, for bankers, for nurses, because there'll be more people here."

Adani says no 457 visas will be used in the Carmichael project.

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said, during 2015-16, the resources sector was responsible for one in seven jobs, one dollar in five across the state, assisted 914 community organisations, while using just 0.1 percent of total Queensland land surface.

Over the past seven years, the sector has generated $476 billion in value to Queensland, Mr Macfarlane said.

What do green groups say?

Protest groups have voiced concerns about the impact on the environment and the Great Barrier Reef.

Australian Marine Conservation Society community campaigner Cherry Muddle said the mine would have a devastating impact on the reef and tourism jobs.

While Greens Senator Larissa Waters said she was concerned at the prospect of a $1 billion concessional loan from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund, and she could think of better things to spend taxpayer money on.

The project has been the subject of several court changes over the past seven years.

- with AAP

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Adani Carmichael megamine not a dead certainty, claim critics

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Greens call for Queensland government to put stop to Adani loan

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk should reject a $1 billion taxpayer-funded concessional loan for the Adani Carmichael mine's rail line, the Queensland Greens say.

The Greens say the Premier has the power to reject funding under the federal government's Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Act requires that "in performing its functions, the Facility must take all reasonable steps to comply with the Investment Mandate".

The Investment Mandate Direction states: "The Facility must not make an investment decision if at any time the relevant jurisdiction provides written notification that financial assistance should not be provided to a project."

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has previously said no case was made to give the Indian multinational an NAIF loan.

Greens candidate for Mount Coot-tha and environmental lawyer Michael Berkman said Ms Palaszczuk could write a letter to stop the loan being paid.

"I'm happy to draft it myself if they need help doing the right thing by Queensland," he said.

"Bill Shorten says the Adani mega-mine should stand up on its own commercial merits."

Mr Berkman said Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani was worth $7 billion and should spend his own money on the rail project, not that of taxpayers.

"The jobs of 70,000 Queenslanders rely on the reef's health," he said.

Mr Berkman said north Queensland should benefit from the NAIF funding.

"Investing a billion dollars in clean energy would create jobs but also reduce our power bills," he said.

"North Queensland has the sun, wind and space suitable to make large-scale renewable energy production one of our major industries, bringing much-needed highly skilled jobs to regional communities currently vulnerable to commodity price fluctuations."

A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk did not specifically answer a question on whether she would call for the NAIF funding not to be provided to Adani.

But the spokesman said the government had honoured its election commitments to not fund dredging operations and spent taxpayer money to build a rail line and not support the dumping of dredge spoil on the Caley Valley Wetlands.

He said the NAIF was a federal government initiative and said the Turnbull government could comment on the status of applications for loans.

"It set the investment mandate for NAIF and it appointed the board that will assess any applications for loans," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the mining downturn and collapse of Queensland Nickel had affected regional Queensland communities.

"Regional Queenslanders need the jobs from the Carmichael coal project," he said.

The spokesman also said the government was protecting the Great Barrier Reef, with an extra $100 million committed and ensuring dumped dredged spoil was not dumped in the reef marine park.

Last week, Ms Palaszczuk met with Mr Adani and announced Townsville would be home to the Carmichael mine's regional headquarters.

The Greens' statewide campaign calling on the government to reject the NAIF loan and protect the reef will start in the electorate of Mount Coot-tha, targeting Environment Minister Steven Miles' seat.

Billboards will be erected in the electorate and will be accompanied with online videos and a doorknocking campaign.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Adani announces $82m rail contract for Rockhampton

Indian mining giant Adani has announced an $82 million contract to supply concrete sleepers for the rail line to its Carmichael coal mine has been awarded to Austrak's Rockhampton facility.

Austrak will supply the 730,000 concrete sleepers needed for the 388-kilometre line between the Galilee Basin mine and the Abbott Point coal terminal.

It's a timely announcement for Rockhampton after rail freight giant Aurizon on Thursday announced it would shut down its railway workshops in the central Queensland city, putting more than 180 jobs in limbo.

[ozbob]

The Guardian --> Adani says it will break ground on Carmichael rail link 'within days'

The Adani Group has said it will "break ground within days" on the rail link for its Carmichael coalmine and has claimed daily progress on a project for which it still needs to secure about $5bn in finance.

The Adani Mining chief executive, Jeyakumar Janakaraj, said in a statement on Friday the company remained "confident and committed" to delivering its first coal shipment in March 2020.

Janakaraj said pre-construction works on the Galilee basin mine site and the 388km rail corridor to its Abbot Point port were "well advanced".

"Every day we are moving forward. Milestones are being achieved every day," he said.

"We will break ground within days to mark the official start of work on the rail link."

Adani's announcement on Friday coincided with the release of another poll showing a significant majority of Australians were opposed to the mine.

Roy Morgan's survey of 1,547 people last weekend found 77% of those who had heard of the mine thought it should not go ahead.

This included a majority of voters of all political stripes who were against the mine, including 55.5% of National party supporters. Almost a quarter of people surveyed hadn't heard of Adani.

Adani is yet to secure a federal government concessional loan of up to $900m for the rail line through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

Its most recent deadline for financial closure on the mine and rail project is still months away, and the Indian energy group is looking overseas to secure finance by March.1

Adani also has to refinance $1.48bn of borrowings on the Abbot Point port by November 2018 and a cumulative debt of $2.11bn – more than the port is worth – by 2020.

A recent report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) said a looming shortfall in coal throughput at Abbot Point meant the prospect of the Carmichael mine filling that gap was critical to Adani's refinancing bid on the port.

This week, Westpac joined another of the port's original financiers, Deutsche Bank, in appearing to rule out refinancing because of a new climate policy mandating investments only in existing coal basins.

Adani is also yet to register an Indigenous land use agreement with the mine site's traditional owners amid continuing legal challenges from within the group.

An Adani spokesman did not return calls on Friday.

IEEFA analyst Tim Buckley predicts that for the first phase of production, Adani will have to spend $2bn for a mine digging out up to 25m tonnes of coal a year, and $3.3bn for the rail project.

Adani has spent $3.5bn in Australia so far, all of it funded through debt, including more than $2bn on the port and $680m to buy the mine site land from Linc Energy and Clive Palmer.

Janakaraj said in the statement that the pre-construction work, funded by an injection of up to $400m from Adani Enterprises in India, included teams doing "cultural heritage inspections and recordings" at the mine and rail sites.

[aldonius]

In other words, their attempts to get the rail line subsidised haven't been enough, so out come the high-ups with the golden shovel.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Adani ready to go – rail line is last piece in puzzle

ADANI has finally stitched up funding for its massive coalmine in central Queensland.

Delayed by years of legal and environmental issues, the $16.5 billion project's final financial hurdle is the $1.35 billion in funding needed for the rail line, and that appears to be close.

The revelations came from Karan Adani, the son of the company's owner Gautam Adani and chief executive of the ports business, who told Indian TV that it was now closing the financing of the rail project.

"We have all the Government approvals for everything,'' he said.

"We have closed the financing of the mine, the port is already operational and now we are just closing the financing of the rail.

"I think that project is about $US1 billion ($A1.35 billion).''

It follows a major victory for the company when it recently refinanced the debt owing on its Abbot Point coal port with a South Korean company, but despite Mr Adani's confidence not all environmental approvals have been resolved with the key groundwater issue still awaiting a decision from the Federal Government.

The project was dealt a serious blow in November last year when the Palaszczuk Government said it would veto any taxpayer financing from NAIF for the rail project. That has meant a nine-month delay for Adani because it had to restart its financing deals.

Australian banks had also refused to finance the project because of climate change concerns.

Adani's Australian business on Tuesday night said work to secure finance for the Carmichael project was "progressing well''.

"Finance for the mine is contingent on securing finance for the rail component of the project as both are interdependent.

"We are 100 per cent committed to delivering the Carmichael project for Queensland,'' the company said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Government was awaiting news from the company and the Government's position on the project had not changed.

"The mine has to stand on its own two feet. It has to stack up financially and environmentally," she said.

Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan said the current strength of the coal market, which is delivering the highest prices for thermal coal since 2012, indicated the sense of opening up the Galilee Basin.

"We would be mad not to do everything we can to take the opportunity. Someone will take advantage of the high prices and bring on new coal capacity. I want it to be Queensland, not South Africa or Russia or America.''
BUILDING A MEGAMINE

November 2010: Adani Mining Pty Ltd begins approval process

May 2014: Queensland's
co-ordinator-general approves the $16.5b project subject to 190 conditions.

July 2014: Federal Government approves Adani's proposal.

August 2015: Approvals set aside by courts because of the Federal Government paperwork bungle. Reapproved in October.

April 2016: Mining lease approved by State Government.

June 2017: Adani board gives go ahead for project pending finance.

November 2017: Premier Palaszczuk vetoes any prospect of funding from NAIF.

March 2017: Townsville emerges as the frontrunner to be named Adani's FIFO hub after private meetings with Mayor Jenny Hill while visiting India. Townsville MP Scott Stewart puts forward a motion to the Parliament calling for Townsville to be the FIFO hub for the mine.

May 2017: A suspected Labor Left faction revolt on royalties puts thousands of jobs on the line after Adani puts Carmichael investment on hold because State Cabinet failed to strike a deal. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad insists noncommittal responses to direct questions are proof the Adani mine has her support.

June 2017: Adani gives final investment approval for the first stage of the Carmichael mine. Politicians feud over Adani's FIFO hub, with Herbert MP Cathy O'Toole accusing Resources Minister Matt Canavan of favouring his home town Rockhampton over Townsville.

July 2017: Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill says she has put a proposal to Adani about the city's FIFO benefits after the company contacted her.

Queensland Airports Ltd board member Jonathan van Rooyen argues against subsidies for the Indian miner despite Townsville Airport's FIFO bid.

October 2017: Townsville and Rockhampton named joint FIFO hubs.

July 2018: Adani executive announces on Indian TV that funding has been secured for the mine to begin.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Adani has made a big change to its Queensland rail plan to save money

Adani has ditched plans to build a new standard gauge rail line to get coal out of Queensland's Galilee Basin, opting for a cut-price solution using existing lines.

The Indian miner had planned to build a new 388 kilometre line from its controversial Carmichael mine to Abbot Point for export.

But on Thursday the company said it would "instead leverage existing rail infrastructure", along with a 200 kilometre narrow gauge rail line, to connect the mine to Abbot Point port.

The company said the new rail plan would be cheaper, in a move that followed the Queensland government's decision to veto any federal loan to support that aspect of the project.

"By connecting to the existing network we can fast-track project delivery, reduce capital expenditure and deliver coal more quickly to countries in Asia," Adani Mining chief executive Lucas Dow said in a statement on Thursday.

"We're 100 per cent committed to getting the Carmichael project off the ground."

The company said its Plan B solution would follow the same route, meaning existing approvals and land use agreements could be used.

During the 2017 state election campaign, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk stepped in to veto any loan for the rail project from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund.

Ms Palaszczuk initially said the decision was to avoid the perception of a conflict of interest after it was revealed her then-partner, Shaun Drabsch, worked on the loan application with his employer, PricewaterhouseCoopers.

She later said it was to meet a 2015 election promise not to allow any taxpayer funds to be spent on the mine.

Adani is still trying to drum up the money it needs to fund the mine.

Australia's big four banks have refused to put up money, forcing the company to look for funding overseas.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/JoshBavas/status/1040075385898061824

[SurfRail]

Assuming this thing even gets built to begin with, that should improve the chances of that part of the network being electrified.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Johnsmccarthy/status/1042146701115416576

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Carmichael mine and rail fully financed and ready to go

Adani will proceed with scaled-down plans to build a mine and 200-kilometre rail operation in Queensland's Galilee Basin, with the Indian energy group saying it will fully fund the project.

Perhaps the most controversial Australian coal project in recent memory, Adani's Carmichael plans have seen a $5 billion federal loan taken off the table by the Queensland Government, a drawback of support from several major banks, strong opposition from climate activists, and scepticism from some analysts.

But the miner, represented in Australia by local chief executive officer Lucas Dow, is now saying it has secured 100 per cent of the required funding for the Carmichael mine and rail project, and is ready to begin construction.

"Our work in recent months has culminated in Adani Group's approval of the revised project plan that de-risks the initial stage of the Carmichael mine and rail project by adopting a narrow gauge rail solution combined with a reduced ramp up volume for the mine," Dow said on November 29.

"This means we've minimised our execution risks and initial capital outlay.

"The sharpening of the mine plan has kept operating costs to a minimum and ensures the project remains within the first quartile of the global cost curve."

Adani's initial plans for Carmichael were to spend $16.5 billion to build a 60 million tonne per annum coal mine, and a dedicated, 388-kilometre, standard gauge rail line to export facilities at Abbot Point.

The miner now plans to build a project which scales up to a final capacity of 27.5 million tonnes per annum, supported by a new 200-kilometre narrow gauge rail line connecting it to Aurizon's existing rail network.

Dow said the initial cost of the project would be $2 billion.

"We will now begin developing a smaller open cut mine comparable to many other Queensland coal mines and will ramp up production over time," Dow said.

"The construction for the shorter narrow gauge rail line will also begin to match the production schedule."

Dow said the new plan stacks up financially and environmentally, and would deliver jobs and business opportunities to the local economy "without requiring a cent of Australian taxpayer dollars".

"We're ready to start mining and deliver on our promises to Queensland," he said.

"We want to thank [the people of North and Central Queensland] for sticking with us. Thanks to the people of Rockhampton, Townsville, Mackay, Bowen, the Isaac and Central Highlands regions. We look forward to delivering on our promise of creating jobs and helping local businesses and the communities thrive for many years to come."

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Adani coal mine hinges on a rail line in doubt

Adani may have to spend more than half of the $2 billion slated for its Queensland mega-coal mine on rail lines alone if it is to get its shipments to ports.

On Thursday, Adani announced it would self-finance a $2 billion scaled down Carmichael mine in after it failed to receive funding from Australian banks or government sources.

It had originally priced the project at $US16 billion, with funding into a rail line connecting it to the Abbot Point Coal Terminal, to ensure the project did not remain stranded in Queensland's underdeveloped Surat Basin.

Its new proposal now allows it to fund the mine from the global parent business, with a rail line connecting to heavy haulage firm Aurizon's rail network.

The Grattan Institute's Marion Terril said, "this project is contingent on funding the rail line".

However, there are doubts Adani can build the 200-kilometre rail line, valued at roughly $1.5 billion, connecting the Carmichael mine to Aurizon's Central Queensland Coal Network.

Its previously planned rail line was slated to run over 388 kilometres. However, in September this year, Adani said it would reduce the length of the rail line to 200 kilometres, saving $1.5 billion in the process by cutting 188 kilometres of rail from its project.

"The rail numbers alone don't add up, the cost of rail is likely to be north of $1.2 billion," IEEFA economist Tim Buckley told Fairfax Media.

He said it could be less than this if major cost savings were made, "but management has given no indication this is happening".

IBISWorld economist Jason Aravanis said the rail infrastructure still needs to be financed and an agreement made with Aurizon.

"It faces major economic obstacles and even in its reduced form, it could lead to a stranded asset," Mr Aravanis told Fairfax Media.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said there was no evidence of agreements to connect with Aurizon's rail line.

An Adani spokeswoman said: "Adani's Carmichael Project has submitted a conceptual operating plan to the owner of the existing rail network to initiate the connection of our new narrow gauge rail line."

Aurizon confirmed it had been approached with a new rail proposal but declined to comment further.

A Central Queensland coal miner told Fairfax Media, "By moving to narrow gauge it would open up the rail to other producers in the region."

"This could provide new commercial agreements and financing."

The Grattan Institute's Tony Wood said without rail, Adani's mine would be stranded and unable to get its coal to port but could look to partnerships with other coal mines in the region to get the infrastructure off the ground.

These could include the Gina Rinehart-backed Alpha and Kevin's Corner coal mines and Clive Palmer's Waratah Coal mine.

Adani looks to produce 10 million tonnes of coal per year to begin with, ramping up to an eventual output of 27.5 million tonnes of coal per year.

The project was dealt a major blow earlier this year after Aurizon withdrew an application for $1 billion in government support from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund to build a 388-kilometre rail line from the mine to the port.

However, it still supported the development of rail for the Carmichael mine.

"We believe Aurizon can play a key role in helping facilitate a multi-user, open-access rail solution for the various new mines in the region," Aurizon's managing director, Andrew Harding, said at the time.

In September, Adani changed its plans, announcing it would connect rail haulage firm Aurizon's existing Central Queensland Coal Network rail system using a narrow gauge rail, saving around $1.5 billion.

It said this was normal procedure.

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane rubbished claims the rail line may not go ahead, saying Adani could do it alone.

"They will be using Aurizon's network," Mr Macfarlance told Fairfax Media.

"I've been briefed by Adani that they will use [part of] the $2 billion to fund the rail, and they will provide access on a normal commercial basis.

"Aurizon have agreed to the connection. It would be unusual for Aurizon to turn away a potential customer with 15 million tonnes [of coal]."

Mine Life analyst Gavin Wendt said this self-financed approach is common in the mining industry and the project will advance gradually.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1072370371586867202

[Stillwater]

Irrespective of whether you support the Adani mine or not, or coal mining generally or not .... is an eight-year assessment period for any major project acceptable?  Look at the long lead times for major projects where the State Government wants to create the impression that something is happening when it is not.  How many business cases/assessments have been done for the SCL duplication, for instance.

After realising that the delays due to Labor's position on the Adani mine probably cost the ALP a crack at government in Canberra, Ms Palaszczuk is knocking heads together and telling the Co-ordinator General she wants something happening by the end of the week.

Ms Trad has been over-ruled obviously.  She has been throwing spanner after spanner in the Adani assessment process, to delay any outcome while making soft noises about the need for the project to 'stack up' in order to appeal to voters in her green-leaning inner city seat; bugger the regions.

But, I mean, an eight-year assessment process.   

What signal does that send to businesses wishing to invest in Queensland?

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Adani mine: Premier's backflip receives mixed reaction

EMBATTLED Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has made the astonishing claim she is "fed up" with her own Government's delays on Adani, as the Labor leader and Treasurer Jackie Trad fight for their political future.

The Premier yesterday jetted into central Queensland, donned a hard hat and hi-vis and performed an extraordinary backflip, declaring "enough is enough" and calling a meeting between Adani and bureaucrats to set a deadline for the contentious Galilee Basin coalmine.

However her belated intervention into the long-running saga was ridiculed by the Opposition, and failed to quell significant unrest among Labor MPs following the party's annihilation at Saturday's federal election.

Ms Palaszczuk and Ms Trad have been under siege since the Adani issue helped deliver victory for the Coalition.

The pair have been accused of frustrating the mine's approval process to pander to environmentalists at the expense of Queensland jobs.

Ms Trad, who recently declared coal workers must "re-skill", is seen as the architect of the Adani delays as she fights to protect her South Brisbane seat from the Greens.

State MPs from across Labor's factions, senior party stalwarts and union heavyweights have been canvassing their options for a potential leadership change amid concern the federal contagion would infect Ms Palaszczuk's second-term administration.

It's understood Right faction figures have discussed pushing Ms Trad out of the deputy role. Ms Trad has countered by offering to fund favoured projects and programs of disgruntled MPs in next month's State Budget.

The high-stakes internal turbulence comes days before Ms Palaszczuk is due to jet out on a trade trip to Japan and the US for almost two weeks, leaving Ms Trad as acting premier and forced to answer daily questions about her position on Adani.

Declaring "enough is enough", Ms Palaszczuk yesterday revealed she was calling in co-ordinator-general Barry Broe to mediate between Adani and the Department of Environment and develop a clear deadline for a decision on the coal mine.

"I've been in tougher battles than this," Ms Palaszczuk said.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington lampooned the backdown as a slap in the face to regional Queensland who were the ones truly "fed up" with Labor.

"This isn't a decision, this is a meeting," Ms Frecklington said.

"Her Government is in crisis, her MPs are in revolt and it's always someone else's fault with Annastacia Palaszczuk.

"Well no one is buying the Premier's pathetic excuses any longer."

The Environment Department has so far refused repeated requests by the company to develop a timeline to make decisions over the company's management plans for the endangered black-throated finch – for groundwater at its site.

Ms Palaszczuk said: "I think that the community is fed up with the process.'' I know I am fed up with the process. I know my local members are fed up with it. I think everyone has had a gutful, quite frankly."

The revelation was accompanied by a mea culpa on behalf of the Federal Labor Party, with Ms Palaszczuk declaring: "I am really sorry that Labor let you down. I am really sorry that happened."

Saturday's federal election drubbing saw Labor's primary vote drop to about 27 per cent in Queensland, less than a percentage point higher than it was when the former Bligh Government was turfed from office in 2012.

Regional MPs were already threatening to revolt unless action was taken to save their seats. Labor Party elders have called on the Premier to act or risk losing government.

Party elder Bob Gibbs said the Palaszczuk Government's handling of the mine was "a disgraceful example of incompetence by government".
He yesterday warned if the Government waited too long to approve the mine they would be "up to their necks in the mire, they'll have no chance of getting out of it".

He said the Premier needed to learn from Queensland's State of Origin team and rise to the occasion "or realise that the game's over and hand the leadership to somebody else".

The Premier's announcement yesterday appeared to take some heat out of the rebellion, with Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper saying "clearly we have been listened to".

However, senior caucus figures are convinced Ms Palaszczuk's decision to announce a meeting showed she was not capable of altering the course of her administration.

While Ms Trad has long been seen as the natural replacement for Ms Palaszczuk given her Left faction's dominance of caucus numbers, Kate Jones and Cameron Dick now loom as key contenders.

Adani chief executive Lucas Dow yesterday agreed to the meeting but demanded a decision within a fortnight.

"If we haven't got those approvals in our hands in the next two weeks, you can effectively just take today as nothing more than another delaying or a political stunt to take the heat out of it," he said.

Mr Dow said his company had spent the past seven months trying to get a clear time frame from the Government about the approvals process after providing everything required to the environment department over 18 months.

Adani had already invested $3.5 billion in Queensland and had another $2 billion ready for building the mine and a railway, he said.

"We're ready to go," Mr Dow said.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Trad says both sides of politics have weaponised the Galilee Basin

STATE Treasurer Jackie Trad has gone on the offensive on the eve of today's announcement of a timeline to resolve the Adani mine saga, declaring all sides of politics are responsible for weaponising the Galilee Basin project.

As an "emboldened" Adani CEO Lucas Dow emerged from the State Government's "tower of power" yesterday declaring he was confident construction could soon begin at the Carmichael mine site, Ms Trad insisted she fully supported the Premier's call for a timeline for the resolution of its final environmental approvals to be named.

"I think this project has been weaponised by both sides of the debate," Ms Trad told The Courier-Mail.

"On the left side of the debate this project has been elevated as the project that is a proxy for action on climate change.

"On the right side of the debate, this project has been elevated as the only saviour for regional jobs in Queensland – and both arguments are wrong."

Ms Trad has been painted as the architect of the go-slow on the mine and accused of putting her own political future in her South Brisbane seat – where she is under threat from the Greens – ahead of regional jobs.

The leader of the Left faction admitted the Coalition's campaign to make her public enemy No.1 in coalmining country had worked.

"Their negative campaign was successful. That is why Scott Morrison is back as prime minister without any policies," Ms Trad said.

When asked if she had held up the final approvals to manage groundwater and the endangered black-throated finch, Ms Trad responded: "No, absolutely not."

But she yesterday declined to say she supported Adani's project, instead insisting she supported regional jobs.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is poised to announce the timeline for finalising the outstanding environmental approvals today before heading off to Japan on a "resource-focused" trade mission.

It comes after she performed a U-turn on Wednesday, saying she had asked the co-ordinator-general to meet with both Adani and the Environment Department and name a deadline for finalising the mine's approval.

The change-of-heart followed a destabilising regional MP and internal revolt over the handling of the Adani approval that was threatening to engulf both the Premier and her deputy.

MPs from Maryborough to north Queensland fear they could lose their seats after voters named the handling of Adani as a reason for voting against federal Labor.

Mr Dow yesterday praised Ms Palaszczuk for a "significant shift" in approach. Ms Enoch said she too supported the Premier's call, but defended her department's handling of the approvals process.

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Sydney Morning Herald --> Adani awards $100 million rail contract for Qld mine

Adani has awarded a $100 million contract to NSW-based Martinus Rail to build a rail link from its central Queensland mine to Abbot Point port, just north of Bowen.

The 200km line from the Galilee Basin mine is planned to connect with existing rail, an Adani spokeswoman said.

But as yet there is no guarantee Adani will be able to connect to the Central Queensland Coal Network, which is operated by freight company Aurizon.

Aurizon is legally required by the Queensland Competition Authority to consider all access and connection requests. However, no announcement has been made either way on Adani's use of the rail line.

The Adani spokeswoman said the connection was still subject to "regulatory processes".

Adani's decision came as organisations linked to it have been targeted by climate change activists in recent months.

Some of those organisations, such as engineering firm Aurecon and infrastructure company Cardno, have announced plans to stop working with Adani.

But those concerns didn't seem to be an issue for Martinus Rail, which was awarded the $100 million rail contract.

"Adani's commitments to regional jobs for Queensland is a good fit for our business," Martinus Rail managing director Treaven Martinus said in a statement on Friday.

Adani Mining chief executive Lucas Dow says $450 million worth of contracts have been awarded since the controversial mine received final government approval in June.

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Couriermail --> Adani awards $40 million contract to Decmil as part of construction of its 200km railway

ADANI'S Carmichael coal mine is set to deliver a jobs boost to central Queensland after the company signed a $40 million contract to deliver workers camps for construction of its 200km railway.

ASX-listed mining contractor Decmil will design and construct three temporary camps along the Adani rail corridor, which will link the thermal coal mine with existing rail infrastructure.

Adani CEO Lucas Dow said the contract would boost the Rockhampton and central Queensland economies.

Adani has confirmed 40 jobs will be be made available as a result of the contract.

"The Decmil team will in to our Rockhampton office along with Martinus, our track laying contractor," he said.

"The operations of the rail camps will be based in Collinsville, earthworks and civil works are coming from Townsville and Rockhampton, fuel supply is from Townsville, telecommunications is from Mackay and many other regional businesses across regional Queensland are also getting involved."

The company has now signed contracts worth more than $500 million in total for its Galilee Basin mine.

The announcement follows anti-mining activists targeting contractors, banks and insurers and pressuring them to not work with Adani.

And earlier this year Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she'd be watching closely to ensure Adani delivered on their promise of creating local jobs for regional Queensland.

Mr Dow said Decmil would build three 400-bed temporary accommodation camps along the rail corridor.

"Our rail construction crews will live in these camps while they build our 200km-long railway line that will link the Carmichael mine with the existing rail network," he said.

"The camps will be designed to maximise our teams' well being with airconditioned rooms, dining messes, gyms and recreation areas."

He said interested workers could register for jobs on Adani's website.