Glencore is pushing through a proposal for a super-polluting and habitat destroying coal mine expansion at its Hail Creek mine. Glencore’s coal expansion will have devastating impacts on 600 football fields of significant koala habitat and damage local waterways.

Environment Minister Murray Watt repeatedly says he’s committed to protecting our natural environment. This is his chance to show us that he means it.

But hurry - Public submissions are only open until Friday 13 February. This is a key moment to have your say.  Tell Minister Watt he must reject the Hail Creek coal expansion.  

Make a submission by going to the Federal Department website here.  

1. Click on the ‘Make Comment’ button

2. Provide a title for your submission (e.g The Hail Creek Coal Mine is Clearly Unacceptable) 

3. Add your name and email address

4. Click YES to the question “Do you consider this is a controlled action?”

5. Add your comments in the box: Provide reasons for why you believe this is/is not a controlled action

6. Make sure to click all 3 of the declarations 

7. Submit your comment 

Reasons why this should be a controlled action and is clearly unacceptable:

🐨 Koalas:

Glencore’s proposed Hail Creek coal mine expansion would destroy more than 600 hectares of high-value, irreplaceable koala habitat. In just one night, Lock the Gate investigators found 13 koalas in this small area alone — proof of how vital this habitat is for the species’ survival.

🏭 Pollution: 

Hail Creek is also a major methane super-polluter, releasing millions of tonnes of methane into the atmosphere. Methane traps heat more than 80 times more powerfully than carbon dioxide, accelerating climate change and worsening extreme weather.

💧 Water:

The expansion would also cause permanent damage to surface water and groundwater systems that local farmers and regional communities depend on, putting livelihoods and water security at risk.

🚫 This proposal is clearly unacceptable:

It is clearly unacceptable to destroy 600 hectares of koala habitat at a time when koalas are facing unprecedented threats from climate change and land clearing.

It is clearly unacceptable to allow ongoing interference with precious water resources, including permanent changes to natural water flows and groundwater systems.

And it is clearly unacceptable to approve at least 70 million tonnes of additional carbon pollution when, for the first time since industrialisation, the global average temperature over three years has exceeded 1.5°C.

Australia cannot claim environmental leadership while approving projects that deepen the climate and extinction crises. The Hail Creek expansion must be refused.