A coal mine in Central Queensland has been approved despite the state’s Department of Environment and Science raising serious concerns about waterway contamination, ABC’s 7.30 report has revealed.
The then-state coordinator general recommended environmental approval for Pembroke’s Olive Downs mine despite receiving numerous reports and letters warning of serious environmental risk.
The mine will be the third largest in Queensland and could potentially affect up to 4,000 hectares of floodplain.