Queensland rejects Clive Palmer’s bid to build ‘carbon neutral’ coal-fired power station

Clive Palmer’s company, Waratah Coal, had argued it could use carbon credits, carbon offsets and biomass to make a coal-fired power station on an outback cattle property ‘carbon neutral’. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Queensland authorities have blocked Clive Palmer’s plans to build a large coal-fired power station on an outback cattle property, citing climate impacts and rejecting his company’s claims it would be “carbon neutral”.

In its decision notice about the proposed 1.4GW power station proposal, the Queensland Department of Environment and Science said economic and employment impacts were outweighed by climate concerns, and that it was inconsistent with “the right to life”.