Aurizon loses Queensland coal network legal challenge

The Queensland Resources Council on Tuesday welcomed a ruling by the Queensland Supreme Court to dismiss freight operator Aurizon’s legal challenge to a draft decision from the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) for the future operation of the state’s major coal rail network.

Aurizon has consistently warned that the movement of up to 20-million tonnes of coal a year was in jeopardy as a result of the draft decision, with up to ten-million tonnes a year lost from the Goonyella line, up to eight-million tonnes a year from the Blackwater line, up to 1.5-million tonnes a year from the Moura line and up to 300 000 t/y from the Newlands line.