"WA environmentalists 'devastated' by federal government approval of South32 mine expansion", 14 February 2025

Environmentalists in WA's south are "devastated" by the federal government's green light to expand forest mining activities in the Northern Jarrah Forest.

The Commonwealth this week signed off on the expansion to South32's Worsley Alumina bauxite mine near Boddington.

The mining company said the move would provide jobs and economic certainty to the region...

Mereana Lewis, co-founder of Locals for Environmental Action and Protection (LEAP), said she felt betrayed by the federal government's decision to approve the South32 Worsley Alumina expansion...

The Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) labelled Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek's approval "a shameful and outrageous abrogation of responsibility".

A spokesperson for the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the approvals for the bauxite mine expansion were subject to strict conditions.

These include rehabilitating mined areas, protecting black cockatoo nest hollows, and acquiring 12,345 hectares of land to compensate for the loss of 3,855 hectares of native vegetation.