Resources giant Adani has declared victory over environmental activists who tried to stop its $2 billion coal mine in central Queensland.
The Indian-owned company's chief executive David Boshoff says the Carmichael project in the Galilee Basin has already created 1,500 jobs, despite sustained opposition from green and Indigenous groups.
"The Stop Adani movement said our project would never go ahead and would never create a single job. We have proved our opponents wrong," Mr Boshoff said in a statement on Friday.
His comments come a week after the Supreme Court in Brisbane ordered chief activist Ben Pennings to remove posts on social media from 2017 and 2018 encouraging people to get jobs at Adani to obtain information about the coal project to use against the company.
Mr Pennings, who runs the Galilee Blockade, was also ordered to stop asking others to disclose information to him about the project or using confidential information he obtains in his campaigns.
Mr Boshoff said Adani had helped prop up the resources sector and the state's economy during the pandemic with 88 per cent of its contracts being delivered in Queensland.
He said with 1,500 jobs already, more permanent roles will be created when the mine and rail line are operating.
"We are looking forward to the day next year when we can celebrate our success with our Queensland partners and employees, while watching the first shipment of coal being exported. Until then, it remains full speed ahead on construction," Mr Boshoff said.
Meanwhile, the miner says it has managed to protect a traditional cultural heritage site after workers clearing grass for the railway found it last weekend.
The Jangga people, the area's Traditional Owners, told the company the site is believed to be a women's quarry, which was used to create tools and may be thousands of years old.
Mr Boschoff said with Jangga consent the company moved a vehicle access track to the railway, which will protect the site.
"This is a great outcome for both the Jangga People and Adani," he said.
"The delivery of the Carmichael Project has enabled the Jangga People to do further exploration of their Country and discover more about their own rich history and culture."
