MAYOR Jenny Hill has expressed her disappointment in the State Government for opting to veto a potential Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility loan for Adani, while claiming the project was not dead.
Cr Hill said Adani had previously stated it could build the $900 million rail line for its Carmichael mine without NAIF funding.
“I make no bones about it, I am disappointed about the decision by the Government but it doesn’t mean the project is dead,” she said.
“What we need to do is get clarity around all of the political agendas. We have the Liberals supporting the NAIF funding and Labor not supporting NAIF but supporting the project.
“Depending on how the parliament stacks up it’s anyone’s guess as to what’s going to happen.”
The comments came as Opposition Leader Tim Nicholl made a second whirlwind election campaign visit to Townsville yesterday where he again condemned Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s planned veto.
“The Premier is treating the people of North Queensland as mugs and as second-rate citizens because she doesn’t believe they deserve the jobs that the Adani project would bring to the region,” he said.
“A Labor and Greens coalition, and the Premier won’t rule it out, will put jobs in North Queensland at risk.”
Mr Nicholls also used his visit to meet Cr Hill and discuss the council’s election wishlist in a private meeting.
The Mayor said she spoke about issues including the Haughton pipeline duplication, the Works for Queensland program and a proposed $2 billion battery plant.
“The council has secured the funding from the State Government (for the Haughton pipeline duplication) but that funding has come with the advantage that the council can lead the project to ensure there’s local content,” she said.
“We want a commitment from the Opposition that that will be maintained.
“We’re moving towards a November 15 (industry) forum and expressions of interest will be issued shortly after.”
Cr Hill said the council was also seeking $3 million from either party for the proposed factory which would produce lithium-ion batteries.
Former Macquarie banker Bill Moss — chairman of Boston Energy and Innovation which is leading a consortium planning to build battery factories in the US, Middle East and Australia — said this week progress had been slower in Townsville compared with other locations.
When asked whether the council had reached an equity agreement with the consortium, Cr Hill could not specify an amount.
“What the council has agreed to is to set up a special purpose vehicle whereby we will be investing in the plant using the land as our investment,” she said.
“We have a value on that, that way we can take equity in the project.
“This is the sort of technology that I think will build jobs into the future and will ensure we will start to see those high-end jobs coming into the community.”
Mr Nicholls said if elected the LNP would work with the council on the plant to determine its feasibility and viability.
“The state would look at what would be needed to get it to happen,” he said.
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