Reaction to Carmichael mine decision

REACTION TO THE CARMICHAEL MINE DECISION

"It is astonishing and deeply troubling that it has taken a legal case by a small community group to bring the approval process under proper public scrutiny." - Ellen Roberts, Mackay Conservation Group Co-ordinator.

"Without pre-empting a final decision about the project, the department expects that it will take six to eight weeks to prepare its advice and the supporting documentation, and for the minister to reconsider his final decision." - statement from federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt's office.

"Adani is confident the conditions imposed on the existing approval are robust and appropriate once the technicality is addressed," - statement from the mine's developer, Adani.

"We ask the federal government to sort this out as quickly as possible." - Queensland's State Development Minister Dr Anthony Lynham.

"Our lands and waters are sacred and we will continue to fight Governments and corporations who ride roughshod over our rights in misguided attempts to build projects that will destroy our country," - Murrawah Johnson, spokeswoman for the Wangan and Jagalingou people, the traditional owners of the Galilee Basin.

"It is preposterous that a technical administrative hitch could hold up billions of dollars in investment and thousands of desperately needed jobs." - Michael Roche, Queensland Resources Council CEO.

"This is a real chance for us to be free of this awful project once and for all." - Greens deputy leader Larissa Waters.

"It highlights again the importance of independent voices for the environment and the weakness of national laws that are supposed to protect the environment." - Kelly O'Shanassy, Australian Conservation Foundation CEO.

"It will be up to the minister now to decide whether or not to approve the mine again, taking into account the conservation advices and any other information on the impacts of the project." - Sue Higginson, Environmental Legal Centre EDO NSW Principal Solicitor.

"Minister Hunt now has no other option than to assess the facts properly and then reject this proposal as he should have when it first turned up on his desk," - Charlie Wood, 350.org Australia Campaign Director.

"It's clear that no new coal mines are needed in Australia. Mr Hunt now has a chance to redeem himself and get rid of Carmichael once and for all," - Nikola Casule, Greenpeace.