The delaying tactics come despite an environmental authority being granted by the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection on Tuesday. 

State Development and Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said before the leases could be granted, miner Adani must finalise compensation agreements with the remaining landholders, and with local government for affected road reserves under the footprint of the leases.

However, the minister also pointed to other ‘greentape’ as reasons why the Carmichael leases should not be granted. Dr Lynham said although not related to the granting of the mining lease, a number of other matters were also ongoing with related parts of the proposed project. For example, Adani needs to negotiate one remaining Indigenous Land Use Agreement with native title holders, he said. Other outstanding issues included approvals for power, water, roadworks and airport.

The Palaszczuk Government, which relies heavily on the support of green groups at the ballot box, is under pressure not to approve the project despite the mine’s massive job creation potential.  

“A number of statutory obligations and outstanding legal issues remain to be addressed before I can consider granting the Carmichael coal project mining leases,” Dr Lynham said.

“However, it is critical that any project be dealt with not just efficiently but robustly in accordance with statutory requirements.”  

However, Shadow State Development and Mines spokesperson Andrew Cripps said any delay by Dr Lynham was unnecessary and inexcusable.

“The EA (environmental authority) is the last step prior to a Mines Minister considering an application to issue a Mining Lease,” Mr Cripps said.

“Minister Lynham was recently caught out misrepresenting the process for issuing an ML (mining lease) by suggesting the process would take longer, because other issues were involved.

“This is a test of the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s commitment to the development of Galilee Basin and the creation of jobs in north and central Queensland. There are no more excuses.”

Mr Cripps said Labor’s commitment to Adani's Carmichael mine project has always been lukewarm.

“This is a moment of truth for the Palaszczuk Labor Government,” Mr Cripps said. “Are they really fair dinkum about the creation of thousands of new jobs for north and central Queensland, or are they all talk?

Mr Cripps said the Department of Natural Resources and Mines would have a file prepared for Minister Lynham to consider Adani's Carmichael ML application.

“The reality is, with all of the legal and bureaucratic delays this project has endured, the department has had more than adequate time to consider the merits of the ML application,” he said.

“Quite frankly, the EA should have gone directly from the Environment Department to the Mines Department for an almost immediate decision by Minister Lynham.”

Dr Lynham said it was vital all requirements were met after Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt was forced to re-make his decision on the mine and rail environmental impact statement late last year. That decision saw the $16.5 billion set aside following a failure to consider two endangered reptiles - the ornamental snake and the yakka skink. The mine was approved for a second time in October last year after concerns about the reptiles were addressed. 

Dr Lynham said he was taking detailed and careful advice on the next steps for the project.

“To date this has included the advice that before I consider granting the lease, it would be appropriate for me to consider the certainty it would give government and Adani of having a High Court decision on a current application for judicial review of the key decision by the National Native Title Tribunal on the granting of the mining leases,” he said.