Greens Senate Leader Senator Larissa Waters has today introduced a bill in the Senate to ban thermal coal mines in the Galilee Basin, effectively outlawing the Adani mine and Clive Palmer’s proposed coal mine.

The Australian Greens have responded to reports that India will stop importing thermal coal within 4 years, saying that it is the death knell for the Adani project and the beginning of the end of Australia’s thermal coal industry.

India’s Minister of Coal and Mines on Tuesday reportedly said as part of a planning meeting for the future of the coal industry that the country would stop importing coal by financial year 2023/24.

Quotes attributable to Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:

The Morrison Government’s decision not to consider the impacts of Adani sucking up 12.5 billion litres of water from a region in deep drought shows the Government has been completely captured by big mining companies, according to Greens Co-Deputy Leader and Mining spokesperson, environmental lawyer Senator Larissa Waters.

Greens Co-Deputy Leader Larissa Waters and Queensland Greens Member for Maiwar Michael Berkman have called on the Queensland Government to rule out a delayed royalty plan for Adani after the deadline for an agreement passed.

The decision by Queensland's Labor Government to grant approval for the Adani Carmichael coal mine's groundwater management plan is deeply disappointing to anyone who understands the danger posed by climate change, but the fight to stop this mine being built is far from over, the Australian Greens said.

"This fight is far from over. The Adani mine cannot go ahead if we are going to have any chance of slowing rising global greenhouse gas emissions and preventing the worst impacts of dangerous climate change," said Leader of the Australian greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

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.