Australia on Tuesday halted the approval process for Indian infrastructure giant GVK\'s huge US$6.3 billion coal mine amid a dispute over environmental assessments affecting the Great Barrier Reef. The Alpha Coal Project in the northeastern Galilee Basin was given the green light last week by Queensland state authorities, who then gave the national government 30 days to approve it. But federal Environment Minister Tony Burke said he would not yet sanction the project because the Queensland assessment lacked information, including on the impact on the world\'s largest reef. \"I am today stopping the clock on the process which has been given to us by the Queensland government,\" Burke said. The minister said he was in constructive talks with GVK, which has an 80 percent holding in the project, and would be seeking more information from state authorities. \"I intend making a decision as soon as an informed decision can be made,\" he said, dismissing the approach taken by Queensland, which recently elected a conservative government, as at odds with the federal Labor administration\'s approval standards. \"I cannot have a situation in front of me where you have thousands of jobs on the line, and the environmental asset at stake is known as the Great Barrier Reef, be subject to this sort of political game,\" Burke said. The mine is expected to generate 3,600 jobs during construction and nearly 1,000 once in operation as it produces about 30 million metric tons of thermal coal annually.
GMT 09:43 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Global unemployment down but working poverty rampantGMT 15:13 2018 Sunday ,21 January
All you need to know about Davos 2018GMT 22:33 2018 Saturday ,20 January
Calls for action over dirty money flowingGMT 04:42 2018 Saturday ,20 January
Storm caused 90 mn euros in damage: Dutch insurersGMT 07:06 2018 Friday ,19 January
China economy rebounds in 2017 with 6.9% growthGMT 11:35 2018 Thursday ,18 January
'Massive' infrastructure spending needed in AfricaGMT 14:29 2018 Wednesday ,17 January
GE takes one-off hit of $6.2 bn linked to insurance activitiesGMT 18:55 2018 Tuesday ,16 January
London stock market edges to new high

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor