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February 4, 2026 — 5:00am
A major festival in Perth’s iconic Kings Park was in line for a $200,000 sponsorship from Alcoa, before the deal was called off amid media scrutiny and allegations the US miner was attempting to “greenwash” its image as it faced an independent review of its operations in the northern jarrah forests.
In August 2025, both Alcoa and the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority Board publicly denied there was a major sponsorship agreement for the Everlasting Kings Park Festival.
While the sponsorship was never officially signed off on – and ultimately fell through – documents released under Freedom of Information laws revealed earlier that same month an email was sent out confirming Alcoa had agreed to be a “white diamond sponsor”, which entailed a $200,000 commitment over 2025 and 2026.
Discussions between the two parties acknowledged there were concerns over Alcoa’s plans to expand its bauxite operations, and the associated media attention the sponsorship would bring.
A member of Alcoa’s team sent an email expressing that “given our recent approvals process and the associated media interest, you may need to consult with internal stakeholders regarding our sponsorship offer”.
“We do not anticipate a government decision until much later in the year,” the message continued.
“We do not expect related media attention, though of course, we cannot guarantee this.”
Other correspondence flagged there was “significant public concern” regarding Alcoa’s operations, but suggested the organisations could “carefully frame sponsorship messaging to reflect shared values, transparency and commitment to positive, measurable environmental outcomes”.
The documents also revealed Alcoa staff were to be invited to a VIP event to develop “a series of tailored activities and opportunities to promote Alcoa”, but that “given the current media landscape and potential sensitivities surrounding Alcoa” it was proposed the miner not have “deep engagement” in the Everlasting Ideas Event.
“This approach allows us to maintain a strong and positive presence while navigating any challenging interactions with care,” one email read.
The two-year sponsorship deal received a majority vote endorsement from the Kings Park board.
Later that month, media outlets picked up on the potential deal, with the released documents revealing a staff email discussing the plans was blamed for the leak.
“Alcoa were disappointed there were internal comms before it was official and asked if we wanted to pull out before anything was signed,” another email read.
“[Redacted] spoke to ministers office, they advised that this shouldn’t deter us … As it stands, we are still going ahead.”
But the sponsorship did not go ahead, and the festival ran with no major sponsor.
Responding to this masthead’s questions about the newly released documents, the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority said, “while discussions with Alcoa were positive, this sponsorship ultimately did not proceed as the agreement was not finalised in time to be incorporated into the event’s planning and delivery”.
Conservation Council of WA executive director Matt Roberts labelled the sponsorship deal a “grotesque demonstration of greenwashing”.
“This event highlights why transparency on corporate sponsorship is so important and demonstrates a worrying trend by big industry to increasingly seek to buy social license by channelling funding through public institutions,” he said.
“The FOI process has been critical in identifying what happened in this instance, and it’s crucial we have proper access to information, rather than PR lines and a political class that wants to stage-manage their corporate interactions.”
Roberts said it was ironic Alcoa’s expansion plans would see the equivalent of 27.5 Kings Parks bulldozed to extract bauxite in and around Perth’s drinking water catchments.
“Any decision to link Alcoa with a festival related to protecting the environment is not only inappropriate, but also completely tone-deaf,” he said.
“Alcoa has a history of looking at partnerships to buy its social license, but, in light of what is happening to our northern jarrah forest, we have to draw a line in the sand and stop giving them any credibility – especially when it comes to nature.”
An Alcoa spokesperson said the company had a long history of collaborating with research organisations, government entities and education bodies, and the relationship with Kings Park Science reflected its “ongoing commitment to conservation”.
“Support for events, projects and organisations with interests in environmental matters has continuously been a core focus of our community contribution and volunteering programs and will remain so in the future,” the spokesperson said.
“We intend to continue working in partnership with reputable research organisations with a focus on continuous improvement in conservation practices and ecological outcomes.”
The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority said any potential partnership did not reflect an endorsement or otherwise of Alcoa’s proposed expansion plans.
“The nature of any of BGPA’s commercial partnerships, including sponsorships, remains confidential until any partnership agreement is signed and announced,” a statement read.
“All information regarding potential sponsorships for the 2025 Everlasting Kings Park Festival, provided at the request of third parties, was accurate at the time of its release.”
The authority said that securing sponsorship enabled them to deliver conservation messages to a broader audience, “expanding our reach beyond those already engaged with an environmental mindset”.
“Through a diverse range of funding sources, we can inspire more people in more meaningful ways to care for our much-loved and globally renowned Western Australian flora.”
The authority will again be seeking sponsorship for the festival in 2026 from a range of partners.
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