South32 chief Graham Kerr says West Australian bureaucrats have gone “way above” the carbon reduction ambitions required by federal policies, as he urged WA Premier Roger Cook not to add 1700 Worsley alumina employees to the long list of job cuts in the state this year.

Mr Kerr’s threat to take a “hard stance” over the future of the Worsley alumina refinery if the WA government persisted with proposed emissions limits and bushland preservation goals came as he expressed interest in buying Anglo American’s stake in a manganese joint venture.