Government finalises $3.6m Collinsville coal power plant grant despite disallowance motion

Exclusive: Lawyers for Australian Conservation Foundation warned department issuing grant money before due process could be improper'

The federal government quietly finalised an agreement to pay $3.6m to a company proposing a coal-fired power station at Collinsville in north Queensland this month, despite prior warnings the grant could be disallowed by the parliament and that making any payment beforehand could be improper".

Last week, ahead of the return of federal parliament - where the grant to Shine Energy will be subject to a disallowance motion, backed by Labor and the Greens - the federal government's grants register was updated to include the final details of the controversial handout.