02/07/2026
Billionaire mining baron Gina Rinehart wants to build a massive gas plant in WA's Mid West.
You'd think that's exactly the kind of project our Environmental Protection Authority would want to look at closely.
Instead, the EPA has decided not to assess Rinehart's $850 million Belisima gas project.
229 people made submissions on this project. 227 of them called for it to be assessed. The EPA ignored them.
This project threatens endangered Carnaby's Black Cockatoos, WA groundwater, and would pump 109 million tonnes of climate pollution into the atmosphere over its lifetime. And there's no longer any way for the public to challenge this decision — WA's government stripped away appeal rights on EPA assessment calls back in 2024.
This isn't an isolated failure. It's what happens when environment laws are gutted and billionaires' interests come before community and climate.
WA needs an EPA that actually protects our environment — and laws strong enough to hold it to account.