Adani Group’s $21.7bn Carmichael coal mine project in Australia is facing legal challenges after land owners of Galilee Basin of Queensland state opposed the leases issued to the firm.
In the Federal Court of Australia, Wangan and Jagalingou (W&J) representative group challenged the leases.
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According to the interlocutory application, the mining leases were not correctly issued by the state.
Press Trust of India quoted the application as stating: "The Queensland government issued the mine leases in the absence of the consent of the W&J people to Carmichael mine, and in the face of their three-time rejection of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement with Adani."
The group also cited a letter issued on 15 October 2015 by Queensland state’s mines minister Anthony Lynham, which stated that the state would approve the lease applications only after all legislative requirements were met.
W&J spokesperson Adrian Burragubba was quoted by the news agency as saying, "We have formally rejected this disastrous project three times. In this light, Lynham’s issuing of the mining leases is a shameful episode in the trashing of Traditional Owners’ rights by the exercise of government power."
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By GlobalDataBurragubba further added: "In filing this action today, we are making good on our pledge to oppose this mine every step of the way.
"We will continue to pursue all legal avenues, Australian and international, and test the limits of the law in this country."
Last August, a federal court had revoked the actual approval, citing environmental concerns.
The project was later approved by the Australian government in October 2015.
