Adani coalmining project: Australian govt may reissue permission, plans infrastructure at "taxpayers' expense"

By A Representative
Is the powerful Adani Group on way to finally get clearance from the Australian government for its controversial coal mining project? It would seem so, if sources in the top environmental watchdog are any indication. A Greenpeace spokesperson has been quoted as saying, “We are expecting the Federal Government to make an announcement next week or so regarding re-issuing approval for the mine.”
In its August first week order, the Australian Federal Court had called the approval granted to one of the world’s biggest coalmining projects by Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt “invalid”, citing environmental grounds.
The court had given three grounds for rejecting the government order: that the minister “incorrectly” assessed its climate impacts, “ignored” Adanis’ poor environmental record, and “failed” to consider conservation advice from his own department on the impact of the mine on two vulnerable species -- yakka skink and ornamental snake.
The minister, in fact, had conceded to the court that he had “failed” in his duty to properly assess the Carmichael mine project in accordance with his obligations under Federal environmental legislation. An Adani communique had called the Federal Court order a result of “technical error” on the part of the Australian environmental authorities.
The Greenpeace view that the Federal Government would allow the Adani Group to coalmine comes amidst moves by it to take upon itself the effort to develop infrastructure around the Carmichael coalmine area, which is proposed to handed over to it. The Adani Group is known to be closest to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific, in a statement, has said it strongly disapproves of the government plans to “use taxpayers' money to build infrastructure for the failing Carmichael coalmine project in Queensland.”
Quoting resources and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, Greenpeace said, “The government would consider using funds from the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) on Galilee Basin coal projects, which could include a railway line from the proposed Carmichael Mine to Abbot Point.”
“It makes no sense at all to try to prop up this failed venture with taxpayers' money. Commercially, it’s a total flop and a bad investment," said Shani Tager, Greenpeace Australia Pacific's Reef Campaigner.
"This project has no investors, globally coal prices are falling and 14 international banks won’t touch it. It would cost $16.5bn to build and Adani doesn’t have the money," she underlined.
“Minister Frydenberg’s comments and the NAIF don’t reflect the new economic direction that Prime Minister Turnbull is setting. This is a fund for projects that are economically unviable and taxpayers’ money shouldn’t be used to prop up coal projects.”
Tager said spending NAIF money on Carmichael “would not bring in millions of dollars to Australia via royalties and taxes. Adani’s structure means profits would go offshore and taxes paid to Australia would be minimised.”
“Spending Australian taxpayer funds to help a foreign company develop a dirty industry that threatens the Reef illustrates how dangerously one-eyed the federal government is when it comes to the coal industry”, Tager said.
“It makes no sense to build infrastructure for a mine that in all likelihood won’t happen and should never happen. Dredging endangers the Reef’s World Heritage area and carbon pollution endangers the climate – the biggest threat to the Reef”, she added.
"Environmentally, it’s a massive carbon bomb that threatens the Great Barrier Reef, and socially it’s irresponsible. “It completely fails the triple bottom line. There is simply no good reason to develop Carmichael," she said.

Comments

Gujarat Information Commission issues warning against misinterpretation of RTI orders

By A Representative The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has issued a press note clarifying that its orders limiting the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications for certain individuals apply only to those specific applicants. The GIC has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any public officials who misinterpret these orders to deny information to other citizens. The press note, signed by GIC Secretary Jaideep Dwivedi, states that the Right to Information Act, 2005, is a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration. However, the commission has observed that some applicants are misusing the act by filing an excessive number of applications, which disproportionately consumes the time and resources of Public Information Officers (PIOs), First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and the commission itself. This misuse can cause delays for genuine applicants seeking justice. In response to this issue, and in acc...

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Is U.S. fast losing its financial and technological edge under Trump’s second tenure?

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The United States, along with its Western European allies, once promoted globalization as a democratic force that would deliver shared prosperity and balanced growth. That promise has unraveled. Globalization, instead of building an even world, has produced one defined by inequality, asymmetry of power, and new vulnerabilities. For decades, Washington successfully turned this system to its advantage. Today, however, under Trump’s second administration, America is attempting to exploit the weaknesses of others without acknowledging how exposed it has become itself.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

'MGNREGA crisis deepening': NSM demands fair wages and end to digital exclusions

By A Representative The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM), a coalition of independent unions of MGNREGA workers, has warned that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is facing a “severe crisis” due to persistent neglect and restrictive measures imposed by the Union Government.

On Teachers’ Day, remembering Mother Teresa as the teacher of compassion

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ It is Teachers’ Day once again! Significantly, the day also marks the Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta (still lovingly called Mother Teresa). In 2012, the United Nations, as a fitting tribute to her, declared this day the International Day of Charity. A day pregnant with meaning—one that we must celebrate as meaningfully as possible.

Gujarat minority rights group seeks suspension of Botad police officials for brutal assault on minor

By A Representative A human rights group, the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat, has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), Gandhinagar, demanding the immediate suspension and criminal action against police personnel of Botad police station for allegedly brutally assaulting a minor boy from the Muslim community.

Counterview

Search This Blog