Clean Air Queensland spokesperson Michael Kane has vowed to make the State Government’s broken promise on Acland Mine stage 3 a major election issue.
“Campbell Newman has walked away from a core election promise not to approve the mine expansion and the LNP government has declared war on the health of Queenslanders,” Mr Kane said.
“Clean Air Queensland will target each electorate along the coal line from the Darling Downs to Brisbane that will be impacted by this back-flip.”
He said New Hope Coal had donated $700,000 to the LNP and stood to benefit massively from this decision. “Queenslanders should be told more details of the relationship between the government and the coal company before the next election.”
Campbell Newman stated categorically at the 2012 State Election that the Acland expansion would not go ahead.
“This back-flip will insure uncovered coal wagons carrying three million tonnes of extra coal a year will travel through Oakey, Toowoomba, Ipswich and 21 suburbs of Brisbane to the Brisbane port.
“This is a tragic outcome for the townsfolk of Acland and Jondaryan who will now be exposed to toxic levels of coal pollution for many years to come but the residents of Brisbane will also be impacted.
“Premier Newman needs to explain to the parents of 40,000 children in south-east Queensland who attend school or day care within one kilometre of the coal train corridor, why he thinks it’s okay that children are exposed to coal dust every day.”
Brisbane GP, Dr Geralyn McCarron said coal mining increased health risks. “The particulate air pollution associated with coal mining and coal transport puts the exposed population at increased health risk for very significant illnesses including asthma, chronic lung disease and cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks, strokes and hypertension as well as cancer.”