On Friday Mr Abbott said he was "frustrated" by the ruling and "I think increasingly people could become angry with this outcome". Tony Abbott, at the Caval Ridge coal mine last year, said: "Coal is essential for the prosperity of Australia." Credit:AAP "This is a very important project, not just for Australia, but for the wider world," Mr Abbott said. "And if we get to the stage where the rules are such that projects like this can be endlessly frustrated, that's dangerous for our country and it's tragic for the wider world." Mr Abbott, who has previously praised coal as "good for humanity", said every project must adhere to the rules and the highest environmental standards, and opponents had the right to mount a court challenge.

'[But] this is a $21 billion investment … it will create 10,000 jobs in Queensland and elsewhere in our country," he said. Carmichael coal mine a "very important project, not just for Australia, but for the wider world": Tony Abbott. Credit:Melanie Russell This jobs figure, originally promoted by Adani, the Indian mining giant behind the proposal, is at odds with numbers provided to the Land Court of Queensland. Adani's own witness gave evidence that 1464 full-time jobs would be created by the project. A spokesman for Mr Abbott later said Adani "stands by its jobs projections figure" and that according to the company, the lower figure relates only to certain parts of the project and was selectively quoted.

Mr Abbott said Adani had already invested about $3 billion in Australia and coal from the project would "power up the lives of 100 million people in India". '[It's] absolutely vital that we get these projects right. But once they are fully complying with high environmental standards, let them go ahead," Mr Abbott said. India has announced a target to possibly cease all thermal coal imports over the next two to three years. The President of the New South Wales Bar Association, Jane Needham SC, said it was a concern the Prime Minister criticised the Federal Court after it set aside, by consent, the Australian Government's approval for the Carmichael mine development in Queensland. "The comments demonstrate a lack of understanding of the independent role of the courts in our democracy," Ms Needham said. 'It is critical that our courts make decisions on the basis of the legislation they are charged to interpret and the facts of each individual case before them.

"Legislation imposes strict conditions on developments such as coal mines, and the courts' task in these circumstances is to scrutinise the Executive's actions to ensure that any approvals fall within legislative parameters. "The courts are not the servant of the Executive – any such implication is inimical to the basic principle of the separation of powers, which is fundamental to our Westminster-style system of government. "The courts exist to make decisions according to the law, not to further the interests of particular individuals or organisations, including government. They are an independent arbiter of disputes, and politicians need to understand and respect their non-partisan role." Mr Shorten said Mr Abbott should concentrate on his day job, and not act as "commentator-in-chief" on Federal Court matters. "I don't think it is right that the leader of this nation is now second-guessing our judges," he said.

"Mr Abbott seems to be creating a new test for environmental protection in this country that near enough is good enough. Well it's not." Mr Hunt has reportedly signalled an intention to remove the legal provision that scuppered the mine's approval. Mr Shorten said the government could work with Labor on "sensible amendments which may need to be made", rather than attacking the court system. "The job of leadership in this nation isn't to try and insert yourself as being smarter than business or indeed smarter than the courts," Mr Shorten said. "Half this mess we're in with Adani is because the government rushed its approvals and then it's got tripped up in the court system.

"Sometimes slow and steady, and having respect for good processes, delivers you actually the best commercial outcome in the long-term." 'Risk to economy' On Friday News Corp reported Mr Abbott said courts can be used to "sabotage" worthy mining projects such as the Adani proposal. The coal lobby has been buoyed by Mr Abbott's outspoken support for the industry. "[Mr] Abbott has issued a compelling and timely warning about the risk posed to the Australian economy by a small, well-funded, ideologically motivated campaign to halt mining projects," Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Brendan Pearson said.

"New projects must be treated on their merits, not held up by vexatious and incessant legal appeals lodged by a small band of anti-mining protesters funded by overseas interests." Mr Pearson said future investment in the sector will be at risk if projects are subject to "interminable delays" "The gaming of the environmental approvals processes by a handful of protest groups now borders on the farcical," he said. "The inevitable dividend from continuing green sabotage is fewer jobs, lower real wages and lower living standards." Loading

Mackay Conservation Group coordinator Ellen Roberts, whose group launched the legal challenge against the Adani proposal, said the Abbott government had launched a "savage attack" on her group and the nation's environmental laws. She said the laws on which the case was based should not be changed.



"The legal system is in place to protect us and the world around us. Clearly the government thinks it is above the law," Ms Roberts said.



"These laws protect not only yakka skinks and ornamental snakes, but all Australian plants and animals.



"It's typical that Adani, who have ridden roughshod over India's environment laws, consider Australia's native animals mere technicalities."



Follow us on Twitter