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Clive Palmer loses legal bid amid defamation action
Mining billionaire Clive Palmer has failed in his bid to prevent young people from taking legal action against his Galilee Coal Project, arguing it negatively impacted their lives.
Naomi Neilson
The Bimblebox Alliance and Youth Verdict, supported by the Environmental Defenders Office, are arguing under Queensland’s new Human Rights Act that mining millionaire Mr Palmer’s Galilee Coal Project mine impacted their rights to life and culture.
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Mr Palmer’s Waratah Coal attempted to strike out the human rights objections, arguing that the mine did not fuel climate change so could not put lives at risk, but it was thrown out to clear the way for the Land Court to consider objections to the impacts.
Youth Verdict spokesperson Monique Jeff said as young people, they felt there was a right to object to the impacts of the new fossil fuel projects on their human rights. They said they were pleased that Mr Palmer’s attempts to stop their action had failed.
“Young people have the right to stand up for a safe and healthy future. New fossil fuel projects must consider the impact to human life,” Ms Jeff said.
Environmental Defenders Office principal solicitor Sean Ryan said the decision erased a “significant legal hurdle” and ensured the young groups could continue their fight.
“This decision has upheld the new Human Rights Act against an application that would have limited the application of the law and constrained the ability of charities to take action to protect human rights,” Mr Ryan said.
