Adani coalmine: Morrison and Frydenberg play down remaining approvals

Some Queensland MPs push for sign-off before the election, which is likely to amplify activist campaigns against the Coalition

Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg have played down the significance of remaining approvals for the controversial Adani coalmine, characterising the outstanding determinations as "sub-approvals" and "minor" matters, and insisting the government will make decisions based on science.

With some Queensland Liberals and Nationals escalating an internal campaign for the remaining Adani sign-offs to be done this week, before Morrison heads to the polls, Liberals in the southern states are now bracing themselves for the federal approvals to be granted some time this week, even though that timing is inconvenient because it will kickstart third-party activist campaigns against the Coalition.