To date, 60 companies have ruled out working with Adani on its proposed coal mine. There are only three coal hauling companies in Australia: Aurizon, Pacific National, and Genesee and Wyoming. Genesee and Wyoming have recently ruled out hauling Adani’s coal. All eyes are now on Aurizon which is the next most likely company to haul Adani’s coal. Aurizon may also be considering funding necessary rail upgrades.

Dr Sarah Buckley, GP, author and member of  #StopAdani Moggill said, “We are calling on Aurizon to stand with the two-thirds of the Australian community who want Adani’s coal mine stopped. Queenslanders are already grappling with early bushfires and devastating droughts. Coal is driving climate change and we are being impacted right now. Aurizon must stand on the right side of history and rule out hauling Adani’s coal. That coal must stay in the ground so we can address climate change.” 

Eric Oliver, Whitsundays property owner, who is travelling down to Brisbane for the AGM to deliver a direct message to the Aurizon CEO about the need to move away from coal to protect his community from climate fuelled disasters, said, “Our community has been hit by two major cyclones in the last few years which have caused major disruption and property damage, dramatically increasing insurance costs. Aurizon needs to take responsibility for their contribution to global warming that is fuelling these climate disasters. We’re calling on them to make the right choice and rule out partnering with Adani.”

Background:

Adani plans to transport the coal from its proposed Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin to Abbot Point coal port by rail. To do this it will need to build an approximately 200km line that would connect with the existing Queensland rail network owned by Aurizon.

Adani now needs Aurizon, which operates the Queensland rail network, to negotiate access. Aurizon is legally obliged under its Open Access Undertaking to consider all applications from existing or potential customers.

Aurizon is well aware of the environmental, social, economic and reputational risks associated with Adani’s project. At the 2018 Aurizon AGM, their chairman Tim Poole admitted to being “absolutely concerned about being public enemy number one as well, we’ve already had disruptions to our business.

Aurizon has begun to publish reports on sustainability and last year pledged support for the Paris Climate Agreement. 

UniSuper, previously one of Aurizon’s biggest investors, earlier this year called the Adani Carmichael coal project an “unviable commercial proposition” and sold off its shares in our company.