The Conservation Council of WA worked with key member groups and partners to develop a set of key priorities for the environment ahead of the 2025 State election. These priorities include stronger nature laws, better commitments for emissions reduction and climate action, more protected areas, changes to water laws, First Nations rights and heritage protection, greater enforcement and controls on pollutions and improved transparency, accountability and democracy in environment decision making. This is not an exhaustive list of everything but just some of the priorities that address some of the most imminent threats to our unique and precious places. 

You can download and share copies of the report electronically and we have a few copies printed and available at our office at 1186 Hay St, Perth. 

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The four major areas of reform set out in 'WA at the Crossroads: A Protection Agenda for Nature' would deliver the mechanisms needed to protect WA’s unique environments, which are facing multiple compounding threats amid declining government attention and action. This is not a comprehensive review of WA’s environment laws or agencies, but is a consolidation of key reforms that have been identified by the Conservation Council of WA and alliance partners.

Do you have a case study that demonstrates how WA's current nature laws are falling short?

Visit our Nature Case Study Submissions page here to learn how you can contribute a case study to the full report being launched in late 2025.

WA’s peak environment and conservation groups have published the ‘A Thousand Cuts’ report to provide information and analysis regarding the impacts of bauxite mining in the Northern Jarrah Forest.

Produced by the Western Australian Forest Alliance (WAFA), the Wilderness Society and the Conservation Council of WA, the report outlines how continued clearing of Western Australia’s South West forests is putting vulnerable species and plant life under ‘unendurable strain’, with concerns that the majority of forest between Collie and Armadale will be fragmented or destroyed by 2060.

The Northern Jarrah Forest is one of a handful of Australian ecosystems under particular threat of collapse due to climate change. It is highly diverse and home to an incredible number and variety of plants and animals as well as being vital to water quality and supply for the Perth metropolitan region and South West forests.

Western Australians are increasingly concerned with the protection of this magnificent place. The report provides both an overview and high level of detail on the region and the threat posed by proposed mining expansions.

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This report makes five recommendations: 

1. That no further clearing or fragmentation of native forest in the Northern Jarrah Forest for mining be authorised

2. That the EPA undertake a strategic assessment of the potential cumulative impacts of past, current and proposed activities and developments (including but not limited to bauxite mining, logging and prescribed burning) on the Northern Jarrah Forest

3. That there be a WA government inquiry into:

a) The efficacy of current processes (including Recovery Plans and Habitat Protection Plans) in arresting the decline of threatened native forest species including mainland quokkas, Carnaby’s cockatoo, Baudin’s cockatoo and Forest red-tailed black cockatoo

b) The obstacles to implementing the recovery actions recommended by those processes

c) Whether there is a need for an emergency plan to arrest the decline of threatened native forest species including mainland quokkas, Carnaby’s cockatoo, Baudin’s cockatoo and Forest red-tailed black cockatoo

4. That the WA government create and maintain an up to date, publicly accessible central record of native vegetation and biodiversity data that shows and tracks its extent and condition across the State, including showing and tracking the proportion cleared in each bioregion by each sector

5. That the WA government immediately make up to date consolidated versions of all State Agreements publicly available.

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