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MELBOURNE - Adani Enterprises Ltd's Australian coal unit said on Thursday it has begun recruiting to fill 280 permanent operational positions for its controversial thermal coal mine in Queensland state.

The Carmichael coal mine was a swing factor in Australia's 2019 election that helped deliver a surprise victory to the conservative Liberal-National coalition government, attracting votes from locals who sought more jobs in the area.

David Boshoff, chief executive of Bravus Mining and Resources, said the Adani unit planned to recruit primarily from Townsville and Rockhampton, two regional towns that are a source of fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers.

The company would also tap other local towns for roles including haul truck drivers, maintenance workers and other trades, Boshoff said.

The company has said the 10 million tonne mine is on track to export its first shipment amid soaring prices for the raw material by the end of the calendar year.

The mine and rail project, which created around 2,600 jobs during construction, has been a flashpoint for groups worried about the impact of burning fossil fuels on climate change.

The U.N. has called for phasing out coal by 2030 in OECD group countries, including Australia. The world's top coal exporter is considered a global laggard in climate change policy as, unlike many other developed countries, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has not set out a path to zero emissions by 2050.

(Reporting by Melanie Burton; editing by Jane Wardell)