The billionaire Indian businessman behind the controversial Carmichael mine proposal personally asked Malcolm Turnbull to pass a law that would prohibit Australians from seeking judicial review of environmental approvals for major projects, such as his $15 billion coal mine, rail and port project in Queensland.

According to a report in Fairfax today, Gautam Adani met with the Prime Minister last week and urged him to pass such a law, which would protect projects such as his from being challenged on environmental grounds.

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Of course, Adani needn’t have bothered. As Crikey revealed last month, Turnbull is already pressing ahead with the Abbott-era so called “green lawfare” changes — an amendment to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act that would prevent third parties such as green groups from challenging environmental approvals for major projects. It had previously been assumed that Turnbull would drop the proposed amendment as part of a move away from Tony Abbott’s more combative, culture warrior style of leadership.

Nothing says agility and innovation more than digging coal out of the ground with the help of taxpayer subsidies and a legislated protection racket!