The Wire

Last month, Leard State Forest in Boggabri in New South Wales North West was declared an area of high conservation value under the federal Environment Protection Biodiversity and Conservation Act. However, this will not protect it from the expansion of two Boggabri coal mines owned by Japanese energy company Indemitsu, and Australian Nathan Tinkler’s Aston Mining. The expansion of these mines, and the development of a third has brought into light the flaws in NSW environment policy, and unearthed some untidy allegiances between former politicians and the mining companies.