Candanian-based Waratah Coal pays lobbyist a success fee of AUS$500K for getting Queensland Government to declare “state significance” for planned mine, rail, and port in Great Barrier Reef

Canadian-based Waratah Coal said it had paid a lobbyist a success fee of AUS$500K, as 146 040 shares at C$3.36 per share for pursuading the Queensland Government to declare “state significance” for the Waratah planned mine, rail, and port project. A further $2.5 million was offered for more approvals success.

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New Queensland Waratah coal port plan in Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area: plans handymax, panamax, capesize and chinamax vessels

A super port development was planned for a protected environment area intended to have no development. The plan to dig and deliver - to start - 50 million tonnes a year of export coal, was in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, and contained Ramsar wetlands.

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Coal still King in Queensland: superport plan for World Heritage Area ignores environment restrictions; plans to build in wilderness wetlands

A coal investor group plans showed its huge new port project was set proposed in a protected area listed as a National Heritage Place under the EPBC Act. The proposed coal port - and perhaps eventually, an oil port - was to be built in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (SWBTA), and on areas listed as protected RAMSAR wetlands. The intended area contained three threatened ecological communities, as well as protected wetlands and marine areas.

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Local resistance strong to super-port in Ramsar wetlands and Queensland Heritage area: big electricity, water, land, sea impacts

Public meetings were held this week in Byfield, Queensland, a small town close to the planned Waratah three coal-mines port. The port plan was to drain wetlands, and dredge the ocean.

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