Permission for a new thermal coal project near the Great Barrier Reef, owned by mining magnate Clive Palmer, has been denied by Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, as the project poses a threat to the fragile ecosystem less than ten kilometres away.
The Central Queensland Coal owned mine is located in the Styx Coal Basin, just off the coast of central Queensland.
In a video posted to social media, Ms Plibersek said the adverse environmental impacts of the project are simply too great.
“The mine is an open-cut coal mine less than 10km from the Great Barrier Reef, and the risk of pollution and irreversible damage to the reef is very real.”
Ms Plibersek said her office received over 9,000 public submissions on the issue in the space of ten business days.
Environmental experts say the UNESCO World Heritage-listed reef – the world’s biggest coral reef ecosystem – is already suffering from the significant impact of climate change and warming of oceans.
