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Abbott prefers existing coal port expansion

The Federal Opposition Leader says he would prefer existing coal ports be expanded rather than allowing new developments along the Queensland coast.

The LNP's Michelle Landry and Ken O'Dowd have expressed opposition to a proposed coal terminal in the environmentally sensitive mouth of the Fitzroy River.

Tony Abbott says any new developments should be carefully scrutinised.

"While I think it's very important that we have faster and more certain environmental approval processes, it's also important that we maintain very high environmental standards," he said.

"My preference, and as far as I'm aware Michelle Landry and Ken O'Dowd's preference, is very much for the coal industry to be supported and to expand but for ports to be expanded where they currently are.

"Obviously the expansion of Abbot Point, the expansion of the coal facilities at Gladstone is quite different from a new port at Point Alma.

"It is much better to expand existing ports than to develop new ones, particularly in areas which have high environmental values."

Ms Landry says she initially thought the proposed Fitzroy Terminal was a good idea.

"They were having the barges that go out there and load the coal on to the ships but what concerns me is the water ... I live at the beach, it's rough more than it's calm out there and I just don't see how they're going to load the coal from those barges without spillage into the ocean," she said.

Source: www.abc.net.au