A few months ago we received some seemingly excellent news: Alcoa would withdraw from exploring in areas surrounding Mundaring Weir, and expand mining avoidance zones around Dwellingup. 

Whilst this is an incredible win for the Perth hills communities who objected to Alcoa’s mining plans, it’s not exactly all Alcoa makes it out to be.

Many who saw the headline “Alcoa withdraws Perth Hills exploration plans” celebrated, assuming that all of the Darling Range was out of the firing line, permanently. 

The area has not been excised from Alcoa’s enormous lease. In a recent statement, Alcoa alluded that it won’t mine there until after 2045, but in reality there is nothing stopping the company from adding the areas into future mining plans as early as next year.

And let’s not forget, it still plans to explore 129,246 ha in its current plan and proposes to mine another 11,000ha in its expansion. Hundreds of hectares are being cleared every single year.

Alcoa’s current mining, planned exploration and shelved explorations.

 This is just Alcoa’s latest attempt to claw back its social licence. 

Alcoa is a US company that has gotten away with far too much for far too long. It has made millions in profits over the last 65 years by destroying the jarrah forest. The cracks are starting to show, and public pressure is piling on. 

It has proven time and time again that it cannot be trusted, from lying about rehabilitation in advertising, to conducting illegal clearing spanning more than 15 years.

We simply cannot trust that a goodwill withdrawal will result in long term protection for the Northern Jarrah Forest. We need the WA government to make good on their promise of protection, and deliver a network of secure protected areas across the Northern Jarrah Forests by excising areas from Alcoa’s massive lease. 

Bauxite mining interests have long blocked protection, but the time to act is now. What we all want is for this precious forest to be truly protected, not exploited for profit by mining. We want the jarrah forest to be here for the future. 

It’s time for the WA Government to reject Alcoa’s expansions, and phase out its current mining with a just transition for workers and communities, to make sure no one is left in the lurch. 

We must continue to come together and use our voices, until the Northern Jarrah forests are protected for the future. Alcoa can’t be allowed to get away with this destruction any longer.

Western Australians are sick of Alcoa’s destruction of the Northern Jarrah Forests. 

But State and Federal governments keep handing out free passes to the company, despite a history of illegal clearing and a growing list of potential breaches. 

We know Alcoa’s rehabilitation efforts are a farce, and its strip-mining destroys habitat, endangers our drinking water, and is pushing threatened wildlife to the brink of extinction. Alcoa’s clearing and refining further fuels the climate crisis at a time when we’re seeing record temperatures and bushfires raging across WA. 

It’s time the State and Federal governments represent the community, not corporations, starting with revoking Alcoa’s exemptions and rejecting Alcoa’s expansion plans. Current mining must be phased out in a just transition to protect the livelihood of workers.

To protect biodiversity, climate, culture, water and future generations, the precious forests that remain must be protected, not strip-mined. 

Take action in just a few minutes by using the form to send two emails: one to State Government decision makers and one to Federal Government decision makers. You’ll have the opportunity to customise the text of both, one after the other. Make sure you finalise both emails. 

Western Australians are sick of Alcoa’s destruction of the Northern Jarrah Forests. 

But State and Federal governments keep handing out free passes to the company, despite a history of illegal clearing and a growing list of potential breaches. 

We know Alcoa’s rehabilitation efforts are a farce, and its strip-mining destroys habitat, endangers our drinking water, and is pushing threatened wildlife to the brink of extinction. Alcoa’s clearing and refining further fuels the climate crisis at a time when we’re seeing record temperatures and bushfires raging across WA. 

It’s time the State and Federal governments represent the community, not corporations, starting with revoking Alcoa’s exemptions and rejecting Alcoa’s expansion plans. Current mining must be phased out in a just transition to protect the livelihood of workers.

To protect biodiversity, climate, culture, water and future generations, the precious forests that remain must be protected, not strip-mined. 

Take action in just a few minutes by using the form to send two emails: one to State Government decision makers and one to Federal Government decision makers. You’ll have the opportunity to customise the text of both, one after the other. Make sure you finalise both emails.