Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

The Department has been corresponding with Alcoa in respect of its current and future operations in the Darling Range, and met with the company in February 2011. The mining operations commenced in the 1960s prior to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The area being mined is subject to a Regional Forestry Agreement. If the EPBC Act applies to any aspects of Alcoa's activities, the department will take appropriate action for the protection of matters of national environmental significance.