(Brisbane)– Up to 40 engineers from WorleyParsons’ Brisbane office are among others from Aecon, Aurecon and SMEC engineering firms to be let go from Adani’s mining and rail extension project for the company’s proposed Carmichael mine.

An anonymous source connected to the affected engineering companies said that: “Adani claimed the project delay came from a government decision, which should be resolved by 30 September, 2015.”

Charlie Wood, Campaigns Director of 350 Australia issued the following statement in response: 

“Adani’s decision to call off engineers from its hotly contested proposed Carmichael coal project is yet another symptom of its inability to bring this ill-fated project to fruition.

“Already 11 international banks have ruled out funding Adani’s proposals, and by the company’s own admittance, it continues to struggle to garner all of the required government approvals to proceed with the project.

“The decision to lay-off engineers is a disturbing fossil fuel industry maneuver to strong-arm government into rushing approvals before proper and transparent evaluation can be responsibly completed.

“As demonstrated by Adani’s own expert witness in a Queensland Land Court, the company has inflated job creation numbers by 80 percent. This is the latest example in a series of jobs exploitation tactics that further proves there is no line Adani won’t cross.

“It’s time for Government and investors to acknowledge that this is a white elephant of a project and rule out approvals and finance once and for all.”