New Acland Coal project will generate far fewer jobs than claimed, court hears

Proposed mine expansion on Darling Downs will create 680 jobs at its peak, compared with the 3,550 jobs originally predicted, says economist

A contentious coal project will generate less than a fifth of the jobs the mining company first claimed when seeking approval from the Queensland government, the state land court has heard.

The economist Jerome Fahrer, an expert witness called by New Acland Coal, said its proposed mine expansion on the Darling Downs would create 680 jobs at its peak, including 172 government jobs outside Queensland.