QRC chief executive Michael Roche said in the last five years, Queensland coal companies have directly underwritten more than $3.9 billion investment in the state's rail and port capacity.
He said industry pays for infrastructure in direct upfront contributions, regulated charges (including a guaranteed rate of return) and the underwriting of long-term contracts.
“Irrespective of the method, the one constant is that the coal industry pays for coal infrastructure. As a consequence, revenue from coal royalties reflects pure profit for the benefit of all Queenslanders,” Roche said.
Roche highlighted industry funded projects, such as the $1.25 billion expansion program of the private sector-owned Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT) south of Mackay, designed to grow its annual capacity by up to 25 million tonnes by late 2008.
At Gladstone, the publicly owned RG Tanna terminal is being expanded by up to 28Mtpa by late 2007 with similar financial guarantees from industry.
