INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
the opposition party would not derail the proposed billion-dollar project if it comes to power.Industrialist Gautam Adani-led Adani Group
entered Australia in 2010 with the purchase of the greenfield Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin in central Queensland, and the Abbot
Point port near Bowen in the north.The massive coal mine in Queensland has been a controversial topic, with the project expected to produce
2.3 billion tonnes of low-quality coal."We're asking for a fair go and to be treated like everyone else
I think at certain points, that has not been the case We're certainly not whinging about it
We just want to get on with it now
We want a fair go," Adani Mining chief executive officer Lucas Dow told Australian Broadcasting Corporation.He said the sort of scrutiny
that the project was facing on the management plans was unprecedented.The Adani project which still require to clear few more approvals from
the Queensland Government, including groundwater modelling, recently received the clearance from federal government for
development.Commenting on whether the mine project could run any risk if the Labor Party comes to power, Mr Dow said: "I think (Federal
Labor) has been crystal clear that if they are to form government they won't be in the habit of creating sovereign risk by ripping up the
existing approvals."He said that he was satisfied by recent assurances given by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and his Treasury spokesman
Chris Bowen."Shorten and Bowen have been at pains to saythey won't be creating sovereign risk and potential compensation requirements," he
said.The federal approval came just before Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the federal elections were set for next month.Mr Dow
denied directly lobbying with the prime minister for the final approval before the election announcement and said, "We provided updates on
both sides of politics, to be able to give people clarity in terms of exactly where our project was up to, what we need to be able to do, to
be able to then step in and start delivering jobs for thousands of Queenslanders."Meanwhile, environment groups have continued their
campaign against the mine."We don't really know why these approvals were granted in such a rush," said Christian Slattery of Australian
Conservation Foundation."We have big concerns about the integrity of that process given that there was substantial pressure on the minister
from other members of the Government."Last year, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten indicated the party's "skeptical" stance towards the
project but said the approvals will not be revoked even if they win."We don't know what they'll be up to by the time we get into government
So we'll deal with facts and the situation we're presented with if we win the election in 24 weeks' time," he said."We'll be making
decisions at that point based on the national interest
Of course we're not interested in sovereign risk or breaking contracts
We'll be guided by the best science and the national interest."Carmichael would be the largest coal mine in Australian and one of the
biggest in the world.The Coalition has been split over the project - rural Queensland MPs have been strongly supportive, while urban
Liberals have worried it could damage their electoral chances.The Opposition has been walking a similar political tightrope as it seeks to
capture seats in central Queensland while holding off inner-city Greens challengers.Adani said last year it would fully fund the coal mine
and rail project itself, but did not give an updated estimate of the cost of the mine.The mine was previously estimated at about $2.9
billion.Get the latest election news, live updates and election schedule for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on TheIndianSubcontinent.com/elections
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