Adani gives go ahead for October civil war

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I really can’t believe that this thing is going to go ahead, from Adani today:

Adani Chairman, Gautam Adani, today gave the “green light” for the Carmichael mine and rail projects in Central Queensland.

“I am proud to announce the project has Final Investment Decision (FID) approval which marks the official start of one of the largest single Infrastructure – and job creating – developments in Australia’s recent history,” Mr Adani said.

“This is an historic day for Adani, an historic day for regional Queensland, and an historic day for Indian investment in Australia.

“This is the largest single investment by an Indian corporation in Australia, and I believe others will follow with investments and trade deals.

“We have been challenged by activists in the courts, in inner city streets, and even outside banks that have not even been approached to finance the project.

“We are still facing activists. But we are committed to this project.

“We are committed to regional Queensland and we are committed to addressing energy poverty in India.”

Mr Adani said the Carmichael projects will generate 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, with pre-construction works starting in the September Quarter 2017.

Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, today officially opened Adani’s Regional Headquarters (RHQ) in Townsville from where the company will oversee the construction and operations of the project. The RHQ will also accommodate Adani’s Remote Operations Centre, the first time that such a centre has been deployed in an Australian regional city.

The Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, was represented at the ceremony by the Federal Minister for Northern Australia and Resources, Senator Matt Canavan.

Australia Head of Country and Chief Executive, Jeyakumar Janakaraj, said the company had already invested $3.3 billion in the project including buying the bulk coal handling port at port of Abbot Point

Adani today signed letters of award for design, construction, operations, supply of materials and professional services.

The biggest deal is with Downer Mining for the construction and operation of the Carmichael mine.

The company has also announced in the past few weeks contracts totalling more than $150 million for railway tracks and concrete sleepers for the planned 388-kms standard gauge rail link between the mine and Abbot Point.

Importantly, these contracts had gone to regional cities to generate jobs – $74 million for railway tracks (Arrium Steel, Whyalla) and $82 million for sleepers (Austrak, Rockhampton).

Mr Janakaraj announced a further contract for the Carmichael Rail Network linking Galilee Basin mines including our mine to the port of Abbot Point.

This contract is with AECOM, who are regionally based here in Townsville.

The AECOM deal, which covers surveying and design for the rail link, with the company basing 70 people in Townsville.

“But we are building more than a rail line,” Mr Janakaraj said.

“We are building a line that will open the Galilee Basin, linking that massive coal reserve to markets around the world, generating power, and – importantly – generating many thousands of direct and indirect jobs in regional Queensland.

“In Adani’s case, it will link its Carmichael coal mine to our bulk loading facility at the port of Abbot Point from where it will be shipped to Adani’s power stations in India.

“While some may be looking for ways to leave regional Queensland, we are looking to the future. We are looking to ensure regional Queensland remains a great place to live, work and to raise a family.

“To achieve that, Adani is delivering on its promise to address power poverty for hundreds of millions in India and unacceptably high unemployment in regional Queensland.

“To those activists who sit in creature comfort and criticise us, I ask a simple question – what are you doing for those people?”

It doesn’t even have finance approved, not least not from the NAIF (not that we know about, some dirty deal could well have bee done).

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Prepare to close other NSW and VIC coal mines to accommodate it.

That is if it can survive the coming civil war to be built at all.

About the author
David Llewellyn-Smith is Chief Strategist at the MB Fund and MB Super. David is the founding publisher and editor of MacroBusiness and was the founding publisher and global economy editor of The Diplomat, the Asia Pacific’s leading geo-politics and economics portal. He is also a former gold trader and economic commentator at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, the ABC and Business Spectator. He is the co-author of The Great Crash of 2008 with Ross Garnaut and was the editor of the second Garnaut Climate Change Review.