What else could an Australian prime minister do when opening a huge new coal mine but sing its praises and those of the industry?
People wanting him to do something else were always dreaming.
The Caval Ridge coal mine created 2000 jobs in the construction phase and will sustain 500 after that, we're told. In these straitened times, that's no small thing.
Yet when Tony Abbott travelled to central Queensland to declare the project open, the triumph of a large employer opening one up rather than closing one down, would also be viewed in broader contexts.
These are: the limits of coal as a traditional energy source; the use of coal as leverage in trade negotiations with Beijing; and the coal export as an element of regional foreign policy.
To the first, Abbott left little doubt as to his attitude.
"This is a sign of hope and confidence in the future of the coal industry," he proudly declared. "Coal is essential for the prosperity of Australia. Coal is essential for the prosperity of the world. Energy is what sustains prosperity and coal is the world's principle energy source and it will be for many decades to come."
Deconstruction: This government stands firmly behind coal as a fundamental export in defiance of the chorus from inner city types pushing for it to be simply "phased out".
No surprises there then, but in there too was this: "It's a great industry and we've had a great partnership with Japan in the coal industry." Was this a thinly veiled swipe at Beijing which just last week, suddenly slapped 3 and 6 per cent import tariffs on imported black and brown coal?
Canberra had no idea Beijing's protectionist reflex was coming and was clearly caught flat-footed by the announcement which seemed to fly aggressively in the face of the spirit and letter of free trade agreement talks. Those talks were supposedly inching towards conclusion by G20 time but have now been cast in fresh doubt.
Initially Abbott played it down but he has since toughened his language, saying on Monday: "Obviously, we're disappointed that this tariff has come on. We think that it's inconsistent with the general direction of our trade and China's trade, but what it does do is highlight the importance of the free trade agreement which we are working towards with China."
By praising Tokyo, it is inevitable that the contradistinction with Beijing would arise. On this dichotomy, Abbott has form. But in truth, the new mine is a joint venture with Japan.
Nothing to see here.
