COURT action brought against the Federal Government over a proposal to pump waste CO2 into an aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin will not proceed.

Queensland farm lobby group AgForce brought the action against the Federal environment minister over a decision in 2022, which found the proposal to not be of national environmental significance. The decision was originally made under the former Coalition Government.

Mining giant Glencore was the company behind the proposal to truck waste CO2 from its Millmerran Power Station and inject into an aquifer of the GAB – the original project was set up to trial the technology.

The project failed to gain environmental approval from the State Government, with current premier Steven Miles making a blanket ban on similar projects in the GAB.

While the state was deliberating over the proposal, AgForce brought the court action against the Federal Government asking for its decision to be called back for consideration. The case was due to be heard this week.

AgForce chief executive officer Michael Guerin said there were two aims with the legal proceedings:

• Stop Glencore’s proposal from proceeding
• Secure Federal Government protection of the GAB

The State Government’s protections it has announced have ensured the Glencore proposal will not go ahead and is unlikely to go ahead in the future.

But the call for Federal protection on the GAB has been unclear.

While the original proposal passed under the former Coalition Government, it has since changed its position. Nationals leader David Littleproud said while he supports carbon capture and storage for coal fired power, he also supports banning it in the GAB.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson successfully proposed a senate inquiry, which recommended that GAB carbon capture should come under Federal environmental protection.

Environment minister Tanya Plibersek has been reluctant to engage in the debate over GAB carbon capture over the course of the Glencore proposal.

A spokesperson for the minister said she would consider the senate inquiry in due course.