Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Indeed, Senator Canavan, it is the kind of lack of support that we've seen from the Queensland government around this mine that has seen New Hope in this position. It's because of a lack of support for our resources sector. New Hope originally lodged their application to expand this mine site in 2007, and it is still waiting for that approval. So you don't need to be Einstein to understand that the Queensland government does not support these sorts of projects in Queensland.

As you said, Senator Canavan, 500 direct jobs will be created by the extension of this particular mine. New Hope, unfortunately, was forced to make 150 workers redundant on the back of the fact that it was not able to get the approval to extend this mine. As Minister Pitt said yesterday, workers trying to plan their lives around the mine's future are now back to square one. How on earth can that be helping the COVID recovery and the people of Queensland, who deserve our help in getting jobs? (Time expired)