The Federal Government has signed off on the Adani coal mine, clearing one of the controversial project’s final hurdles.

The Carmichael project has faced countless roadblocks, including legal challenges, protests and financial hurdles, resulting in years of delays.

But it looks like the mine is a step closer to going ahead, with the Federal Environment Minister Melissa Price announcing she has approved the project’s groundwater management plan.

Looks like #Adani‘s Carmichael mine has cleared another hurdle with @Melissa4Durack signing off on the groundwater management plans, although ‘this decision does not comprise the final approval for this project’: #auspol pic.twitter.com/j1KVRAjp8g

— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) April 9, 2019

It’s now up to the Queensland Government to sign-off on the project.

Federal Political Editor Michael Pachi says the Environment Minister was pressured into making the decision.

“There’s no doubt that this decision has been made to head off a growing revolt in Coalition ranks in Queensland.”

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QLD Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington told Ray Hadley she was sure the federal government would “do the right thing” by allowing the coal mine to go ahead.

“At the end of the day Queensland is a resources state, we rely upon the royalties that come in from our resources and our trade with other countries.

“We need to give this project a fair go. What we need here in Queensland is jobs.

“I’m very confident that the federal Morrison government will do the right thing.”

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CEO of the Minerals Council of Australia Tania Constable tells Ben Fordham the project could create as many as 7,500 jobs.

“I think this is a great decision by the federal government after 18 months of Adani working closely with the department on these additional approvals.”

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