Environmental groups in Western Australia’s south have expressed disappointment following the federal government’s approval of an expansion to South32’s Worsley Alumina bauxite mine near Boddington. According to ABC News, protesters gathered outside Alcoa’s regional offices in Pinjarra on Thursday, condemning the decision as a threat to the Northern Jarrah Forest ecosystem.
The expansion, approved this week by the Commonwealth, is expected to provide economic benefits, including 200 new jobs. However, environmental activists argue that the cost to biodiversity outweighs these advantages.
Mereana Lewis, co-founder of Locals for Environmental Action and Protection (LEAP), voiced frustration over the approval, stating that campaigners had provided evidence to the federal government detailing the environmental risks.
“We are devastated, absolutely devastated,” Lewis said. “We did put our trust in Minister Plibersek. We had so much information which we gave to the ministry, and we feel that no-one has taken any notice of our concern.”
Paddy Cullen, a community organiser for the Wilderness Society, highlighted the vulnerability of the Northern Jarrah Forest. “This forest is in a very fragile state,” Cullen said. “It’s probably the most valuable terrestrial ecosystem we have in the country in terms of biodiversity.”
The Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) also condemned the approval, calling it a “shameful and outrageous abrogation of responsibility.” CCWA spokesperson Mia Pepper criticised the decision: “It flies in the face of the minister’s zero-extinction pledge to be clearing thousands of hectares of critically endangered wildlife habitat.”
South32 chief executive Graham Kerr welcomed the decision, arguing that it ensures economic stability for the region and the continuation of bauxite supply for aluminium production.
“If we didn’t get these approval areas, we were essentially going to run out of bauxite,” Kerr said. “That would’ve been a material impact on the South West.”
The company received state government approval for the expansion late last year, ABC News reported. A spokesperson for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water stated that the approval includes several strict environmental conditions. These measures include rehabilitating mined areas, protecting nesting sites for black cockatoos, and acquiring 12,345 hectares of land to offset the clearing of 3,855 hectares of native vegetation.
Do you have something to say about this story? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
