Publish What You Pay Australia

WA has released an updated Battery and Critical Minerals report, with grandious claims of high ESG standards while pointing to the $44.3 million reform to gut the states EPA. It doesn't add up and it doesn't acknowledge the WA Auditor Generals report which stated.... "However, I am concerned our environment is not currently adequately protected, as our regulators do not have an effective understanding of how well operators follow their conditions. Despite growth in the mining sector, the entities have reduced their scheduled monitoring activities. Planned inspection programs have shrunk by 60% or more over the last five years and neither has completed these programs since 2018-19. We found DWER’s inspection program in 2021-22 did not reflect the distribution of mining operations across WA. Both entities also need to improve their responses to non-compliance, including more timely enforcement actions (see Figure 7), to better deal with and deter future breaches. Further, neither entity is doing enough to leverage and further encourage operators’ desire to maintain their social licence." https://lnkd.in/g_hs4W37

The 2024 -2025 budget has outlined resource sector priorities that put tax breaks to incentivise critical minerals mining at the top. What is missing is increasing resources for regulators to regulate (not just approve mines), funding to support community engagement or to build stronger conditions for environmental protection, benefit sharing and partnerships, and First Nations rights and heritage protection. This is a business as usual budget - with a tinge of green (and what ever colour is reserved for defence... grey?)

Thursday 16 May - join us online for the PWYP coalition meeting where we will hear from some important campaigns on Deep Sea Mining, offshore oil and gas decommissioning, report back from the UN forum on Indigenous Issues in New York, and from the working group on mining policy and from Transparency Internationals accountable mining program. If you're not yet a member that's ok come along and find out more about PWYP and sign up. Join Zoom Meeting https://lnkd.in/dsqTDsbw Meeting ID: 819 7165 4498 Passcode: 615947

We have to have better mechanisms to hold industry and regulators to account over environmental pollution like tailings dam failures. As climate change impacts worsen there are increasing failure of tailings putting the environment and communities at risk.

Find out more about lithium and Australia's role as the 3rd largest lithium producer. The IEA expects lithium demand to grow by 40% by 2030. Mineral Policy Institute Lian Sinclair Mia Pepper Charles Roche https://lnkd.in/gQrRdpWN

What are rare earths? what are they used for? who's mining them? what are the risks? find out from the REE fact sheet compiled by PWYP and Mineral Policy Institute Lian Sinclair Charles Roche Mia Pepper. Check out our fact sheet series on #CriticalMinerals #energytransition #mining. Rare Earths are critical for energy and technology but the environmental risks are real and significant. We must do better to mine safely and deliver a greater share of benefit to host communities. https://lnkd.in/gr9cBtM6

An important statement was released this week from Indigenous People and the just energy transition conference in New York with 87 representatives from 35 countries. The statement calls for an end to business as usual in mining. Acknowledging the need to exit fossil fuels and increase renewables - the statement highlights the risks from mining and deep sea mining if we continue as we have. The declarations calls for recognition of Indigenous peoples rights including the right to say no to mining, no mining in no go zones - like the deep sea, Free Prior and Informed Consent, mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence - preventing attacks on human rights and environmental defenders... and much much more.... read the full statement here:

Starting soon online - 4pm WA/ 6pm AEST. How to fight corruption in extractives hosted by PWYP and NRGI. https://lnkd.in/gUAyZz9v

A great review of Australia's critical mineral strategies and funding allocations for new mines in grants and loans and the absence of commitments for environmental protections and First Nations rights to veto or Free Prior Informed Consent. https://lnkd.in/gcDiUPEA