“Our China First Project will create 6,000 jobs during construction and will generate an estimated $4.6 billion per annum in export revenues once opera-tional,” China First’s spokeswoman Baljeet Singh said.

“Now we have QR National in conjunction with the Queensland Govern-ment claiming it can build the rail link and create hundreds of jobs in what looks like a bid to score some political mileage in the government’s bid for re-election.

“We intend seeking damages of $8 bil-lion and will also seek injunctions against QR National and other relevant parties seeking to restrain them from dealing with QR National in respect of the Galilee Basin and its corridor and associated port facili-ties,” Singh said.

The China First Coal Project includes a large scale thermal coal mine near Alpha, west of Emerald. The proposed mine will be linked to the new T4-T9 coal terminal at Abbot Point near Bowen by a new 471-km, heavy-haul railway line.