This echoed Mr Shorten's embrace of an Australia-first approach, which included a crackdown on the use of 457 visas, after Donald Trump's election win.

The proposed mine has secured state and federal government approvals, but still faces environmental challenges and needs to secure funding.

The Nationals and the state Labor government support giving Adani a concessional loan from the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund (NAIF) if that is what it takes to get the project of the ground. Federal Labor, the Liberals and existing coal miners are opposed.

Asked on Tuesday for his view, Mr Shorten said:

Premier Palaszczuk said Adani, an Indian-listed company 75 per cent owned by the Adani family, had given an "iron clad guarantee" there will be no 457 workers.

"If the Adani coal mine stacks up commercially, then we welcome the jobs that will provide in Queensland. In terms of accessing taxpayer money through the NAIF, we haven't seen the case made out for that. The deal should stand up under its own commercial merits."

Mr Shorten's view is similar to that of former Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg, who said the $16.5 billion Carmichael coal project needed to stand on its own two feet.

Senator Matt Canavan backs using the NAIF, but said Tuesday it should be used only if Adani cannot find finance elsewhere.


"Our condition of funding under the NAIF is that there isn't available private finance. So if that's the case we won't proceed with this loan," he said.

The mine's regional headquarters will be in the state's far north in Townsville, a city with a jobless rate approaching 15 per cent.

Adani Australia chief executive Jeyakumar Janakaraj told reporters Tuesday the concessional loan would be very welcome.

"We will access that funding because it is critical as that has been designed specifically to support projects like this which are creating infrastructure not just for one project but the whole region," he said.

A company spokesman later said it was too early to tell whether the company would need funding from NAIF but "if it's there it would be silly not to try and take it up".

When asked whether the $1 billion concessional loan would be a deal-breaker, he suggested it wasn't.

"This is a $16.5 billion project and this is a $1 billion loan. You do the maths."

Queensland LNP federal MPs Ian Macdonald and George Christensen also said the NAIF should be used if that it meant the difference between the project going ahead.


Mr Christensen said the rail link would have multiple users and would generate economic growth and jobs.

"That ticks every box. Why wouldn't you do that?" he said.

Senator Macdonald concurred.

"It's had such a tortuous path to get to this point that anything that can get it going has my support."

The decision on the NAIF will be made by an independent advisory board, but the minister will have the final say.