<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has blasted the Australian government for approving a mine expansion that environmental activists claim will put endangered species at risk.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>West Australian mining company South32 was last month granted approval by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to clear almost 4000 hectares of native vegetation at the Northern Jarrah Forests in the state's south-west as part of a mine enlargement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Environmental groups were outraged by the decision, claiming habitats for endangered animals, such as black cockatoo nesting sites, would be put at risk.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-trade-war-eu-retaliates-against-us-trade-moves-and-hits-beef-whiskey-motorcycles-with-targeted-tariffs/4aa62117-1875-41f4-988f-e7024c32de81" target="_blank"><strong><span>Canada and EU retaliate against Trump, hitting beef, whiskey, motorcycles</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>DiCaprio last night supported the activists, writing on Instagram: "The Australian government has approved deforestation within the Jarrah Forest of Western Australia, clearing the way for the mining of bauxite, the main ingredient in aluminum (sic)."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The mining company @south_32 is set to clear 9,600 acres of this old growth forest, which is home to threatened species like the Critically Endangered Woylie," the actor wrote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This operation will destroy critical habitat for over 8,000 species, 80 per cent of which are found nowhere else on Earth. While native forest logging was banned in Western Australia in 2024, clearance of native forests for mining is still allowed due to separate government policies that prioritise mining development over environmental protection."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/leonardo-dicaprio-slams-albanese-government-for-backing-mine-expansion/f33aac72-af98-4ce4-8073-daf014e58b85" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>DiCaprio, the Oscar-winning star of </span><em><span>Titanic</span></em><span>, </span><em><span>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</span></em><span>, </span><em><span>The Revenant</span></em><span> and </span><em><span>The Departed</span></em><span> is a longstanding supporter of environmental protection.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 2019, he created the organisation Earth Alliance to advocate for measures to combat climate change.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/uk-ship-collision-solong-and-mv-stena-immaculate-crash-sparks-environmental-fears/11f22005-dbda-4bd1-8c4f-0a05765fbaba" rel="" target="_blank" title="UK police arrest man on suspicion of manslaughter over North Sea ship collision"><strong><span>UK police arrest man on suspicion of manslaughter over North Sea ship collision</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2025/02/28/10/20/australia-regions-increase-35-degree-days-2090-climate-change-data"><img alt="hottest electorates by 2090" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/rx6rQPG0g-Upo_jBMK8g4aQpaYE=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fd819b1f2-6624-46cf-98f5-189785b77796" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/rx6rQPG0g-Upo_jBMK8g4aQpaYE=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fd819b1f2-6624-46cf-98f5-189785b77796 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/N4cnpjKOib39dSVbfVCpqOt3oaU=/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fd819b1f2-6624-46cf-98f5-189785b77796 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">The parts of Australia set to have the biggest increase in scorching days</div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2025/02/28/10/20/australia-regions-increase-35-degree-days-2090-climate-change-data">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>South32 chief executive officer Graham Kerr said last month the federal government's approval of the Worsley mine development project was a positive result for the company, its workforce and the local economy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The mining company is scheduled to start operations in the newly approved areas later in the 2025 financial year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Department of Climate Change, Energy and the Environment has been contacted for comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>