The Commonwealth is threatening to take back control of major environmental approvals from the Queensland Government, amid a public war of words over a multi-billion dollar mine project.
The two governments had been working on a single environmental approval process for the Alpha Coal Project in central Queensland.
But Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke says the Queensland Government has not upheld its end of the deal, because the State Government's assessment report does not meet Commonwealth standards.
"I cannot have a situation in front of me where you have thousands of jobs on the line, and the environmental asset at stake is known as the Great Barrier Reef, be subject to this sort of political game," he said.
"I want a streamlined approach, I don't want a shambolic joke, and that is what Queensland is wanting me to accept."
Last week, Mr Burke requested more information from the Queensland Government, arguing the state's assessment process was deficient.
But Queensland's Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney rejects that, and is insisting on a Federal Government decision on the coal mining project within 30 business days.
ABC News
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