State Development and Mines Minister Anthony Lynham should sign the Mining Lease (ML) for Adani’s Carmichael mine in the Galilee Basin immediately to create jobs for north and central Queensland.

Shadow State Development and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps said the Environmental Authority (EA) issued to the project yesterday paved the way for the ML to be issued.

“Any delay by Minister Lynham is unnecessary and inexcusable. The EA the last step prior to a Mines Minister considering an application to issue a Mining Lease,” Mr Cripps said.

“Minister Lynham was recently caught out misrepresenting the process for issuing an ML by suggesting the process would take longer, because other issues were involved.

“This is a test of the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s commitment to the development of Galilee Basin and the creation of jobs in north and central Queensland. There are no more excuses.

“Labor’s commitment to Adani’s Carmichael mine project has always been lukewarm and we’ve seen them unnecessarily delay the associated expansion of the port at Abbot Point.

“This is a moment of truth for the Palaszczuk Labor Government. Are they really fair dinkum about the creation of thousands of new jobs for north and central Queensland, or are they all talk?

Mr Cripps said the Department of Natural Resources and Mines would have a file prepared for Minister Lynham to consider Adani’s Carmichael ML application.

“The reality is, with all of the legal and bureaucratic delays this project has endured, the Department has had more than adequate time to consider the merits of the ML application,” he said.

“Quite frankly, the EA should have gone directly from the Environment Department to the Mines Department for an almost immediate decision by Minister Lynham.”

Mr Cripps said as far as the Queensland Government’s decision making was concerned, issuing an ML was one of the very last steps required before a resource project can commence.