On the 19 Dec 2024 the Albanese government approved the expansion of four coalmines that will release more than an estimated 850m tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime – equivalent to almost double Australia’s annual emissions.
The Albanese government has approved Vitrinite’s Vulcan south coal mine to clear over 1,000 hectares of koala and greater glider habitat, despite the mine being under a criminal investigation for illegal clearing and mining, without federal approval.
Before being granted approval for the project Vitrinite had started digging a ‘test’ coal mine and cleared at least 47 hectares of koala habitat without federal environmental approval.
While conducting the investigation, the federal environment department allowed Vitrinite to continue to mine coal without environmental approvals, and they’ve now approved this disastrous new koala killing coal mine.
This approval decision makes a mockery of our environmental laws. Granting approval to a coal mine that is subject to a criminal investigation sends a message that coal companies can break environment laws without consequences. Australia’s environment laws aren’t protecting the environment, they’re protecting the profits of coal corporations.
Minister Plibersek’s commitment to ‘no new extinctions’ is massively undermined by this coal mine approval decision. Instead of taking real climate action and stopping habitat destruction, the Albanese government has approved a polluting new coal mine to bulldoze vast areas of important koala habitat that should be protected.
The Albanese government was elected on a mandate to act on the climate crisis and strengthen Australia’s environment laws, but they’re failing on all fronts. Instead of taking real climate action, the Albanese government is throwing fuel on the fire by approving new coal mines. Instead of fixing our broken environment laws, the Albanese government is allowing coal companies to break the law and approving the mass destruction of critical koala habitat.
The koala is one of Australia’s most iconic species, and shamefully it’s on the path to extinction due to habitat destruction and climate change. Yet Plibersek is signing off on the clearing of over 1,000 hectares of precious koala habitat that should have been protected.