The Queensland Government has approved the $314.9 million extension of the Ensham coal mine near Emerald.
The agreement is set to secure the future of more than 700 jobs in Central Queensland and will allow the mine to operate for an additional nine years, potentially producing a further 88 million tonnes of coal.
Minister for natural resources and mines Dale Last said the approval provides reassurance and job security that the industry has been calling out for.
“This is what certainty looks like under the Crisafulli Government,” Last said.
“More than 700 jobs in Central Queensland have been secured because we worked with Ensham’s proponent Sungela to ensure their mine extension delivers for Queensland.”
Last said the approval is in conjunction of a broader effort to “restore confidence, deliver certainty, and get Queensland open for business again,” particularly after what he said has been a challenging period.
“Queensland’s world-class coal industry has a strong future with more than 400 coal-fired power stations under construction around the world and global demand nearly doubling since 2000,” he said.
Approval for the project follows a Federal Government decision in 2023 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, with the state government signing off after the development of a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Management Plan.
Member for Gregory Sean Dillon has also welcomed the decision, emphasising the impacts on local families and small businesses.
“This is great news for our region, particularly the workers at Ensham, their families, and the many local businesses that support the mine and benefit from it,” Dillon said.
“When you secure more than 700 jobs in a regional community, that means school fees are paid, apprentices are taken on, and small businesses are backed in. our region has always carried its weight when it comes to powering Queensland’s economy, and this approval shows that under the Crisafulli Government, our contribution is both respected and backed in.”