2020-10-20
The Prime Minister picked a dud when he put BHP’s Olympic Dam on his list of 15 major projects for fast-tracking through Australia’s environmental laws, the Greens say, after the company again abandoned its expansion plans.
Greens Senator for South Australia and Spokesperson for the Environment Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The Prime Minister made a big fanfare over choosing Olympic Dam as one of his pet Covid recovery projects.
“He picked a dud.
“Again, more about the press conference, not so much the substance.
“Perhaps he should’ve done some due diligence on these projects, or utilised his very expensive Covid Commission to, and then he would’ve known the Olympic Dam expansion wasn’t even close to ‘shovel ready’.
“Meanwhile, SA has one of the worst unemployment rates in the country and no jobs plan.
“Instead of just propping up the mining industry, the PM should be investing in a Green Recovery.
“South Australia’s key industries like tourism and arts and entertainment, which accommodation and hospitality depend on, are ripe for investment to kickstart the economy and create jobs.
“Together with environmental restoration and protection, and renewables projects, SA could actually create real jobs that will last.”