Greens mining spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters says the Government should be sued for ignoring water laws for Adani’s 12.5 billion litre water pipeline, unless the Environment Minister intervenes today and requires a full environmental impact assessment.

“We learned three weeks ago that this Government had done yet another special deal for Adani, exempting them from water laws despite their plans to suck out almost as much water as all the other users combined, from a drought-stricken region,” Senator Waters said. 

In an effort to drum up investment in its ailing Carmichael mine, Adani has again announced the project is about to get off the ground adding to its already long history of false starts, Greens spokesperson for Mining and Resources, Queensland Senator, Larissa Waters said.

“Adani are producing more spin than coal,” Senator Waters said.

“I’ve lost count of the number of times Adani has said they are about to “hit the green light” on their mega coal mine.

Today a Greens motion passed the Senate demanding that the Government stop Adani’s pipeline application from being assessed until the federal investigation into their environmental breaches is concluded.

“It would be outrageous for Adani to continue seeking a fresh environmental approval when they’re being investigated for breaching the last one,” said Mining and Resources spokesperson for the Australian Greens, former environmental lawyer Senator Larissa Waters.

Big business is now running parliament and the Government is not even pretending to anymore, Greens Senator for Queensland and mining and resources spokesperson, Larissa Waters said.

“The Government has done another special deal for Adani in not making them comply with water laws,” she said.

“Adani has just gotten out of having to comply with water laws for a pipeline that will suck 12.5billion litres out of a river in a region that is crippled by drought.

The Government must revoke Adani’s environmental approval to in light of serious allegations of environmental breaches, said Australian Greens Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters

“Adani has shown complete disregard for environmental rules, here and overseas. How many more chances is the federal government going to give them?” said Senator Waters, Australian Greens spokesperson on mining and resources.

Adani has been caught out ripping off Indian taxpayers, why will Queensland be any different, say the Australian Greens.  

According to reports by Indian media, the Adani group has ripped off the State Government of Kerala, approximately $6 billion AUD in a dodgy deal to build a port at Vizhinjam.

The media reports refer to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General that has been tabled in the Indian Parliament.  

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader said:

It beggars belief that the Queensland and federal governments want to give Adani, a company that paid just 0.008 percent in tax on their total income in 2014-2015, one billion dollars of taxpayer’s money, say the Australian Greens.

“Under new tax transparency laws spearheaded by the Greens, the ATO today released figures showing multinational mining company Adani earned $487 million from its Australian enterprises but paid a measly $39,000 in taxes in the 2014-2015 financial year, said Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters.

The Turnbull government has reportedly given "conditional approval" for a $1 billion loan of public money to build the railway for the Reef-destroying Adani Carmichael mega coal mine, say the Australian Greens.

“This is in the same year that coal-driven global warming caused the worst ever mass coral bleaching, killing 22% of the Great Barrier Reef, said Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters.

“With this decision the government is condemning the Reef to worse bleaching and jeopardising the 70,000 jobs it provides.

“We are disappointed with this decision but are proud of the tenacious legal fight to oppose this mega-coal mine.

“When governments fail to enforce or comply with their own laws, it falls to community groups to hold them to account.

“Public enforcement of laws is a crucial tenet of our democracy.

“Across the country, Australians care deeply about our reefs, forests, rivers and native wildlife and they should be able to have their say on developments threatening to destroy these parts of our national identity.

The Australian Greens are outraged that the Queensland Labor Government has caved in to Adani by weakening new groundwater laws so Adani won’t have to apply for a water license.

“Queensland Labor were elected to ‘save the Reef’ but instead they’ve caved in to big coal creating loopholes to put Adani’s Reef-destroying mega-mine on the fast track,” said Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters.

“With this decision the Queensland government is condemning the Reef to worse bleaching and jeopardising the 70,000 jobs it provides.