Press release – 2 June, 2014On the eve of World Environment Day, a coalition of national environment groups, Labor and Greens MPs and farmers hold snap rally to protest bulldozing of the Leard State Forest by Whitehaven Coal. Private spies have been identified as infiltrating the camp of landowners and environmentalists working to stop the mine.SPEAKERS:
NSW MPs Penny Sharpe (Labor) and Mehreen Faruqui (Greens), local farmers, Greenpeace, GetUp!, Lock the Gate, Nature Conservation Council and Australian Religious Response to Climate Change. The Wilderness Society are supporting the rally.
WHEN:
Speakers from Noon, Wednesday 4 June 2014.
WHERE:
Governor Macquarie Tower, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney.
DEMAND
: NSW Environment Minister Rob Stokes and Planning Minister Pru Goward should halt clearing and launch an investigation into the impact of Whitehaven Coal’s winter clearance on endangered species.
PHOTO OP:
Many 100s of protesters, big banners, placards, speakers, petition handover.
Greenpeace Head of Program Ben Pearson said
, “A broad alliance of farmers, religious leaders, politicians and environment groups are calling for a halt to clearing of this forest, with its precious cargo of hibernating threatened species.
“Greenpeace is committed to staying put, in the forest, to frustrate this mega mine and its disastrous legacy for climate change, water and biodiversity.”
Background
• Whitehaven Coal’s mine at Maules Creek is the largest coal mine under construction in Australia. The company has been given permission by the NSW government to break a basic mining rule: no tree clearing during the winter months when many threatened species are hibernating.
• Bulldozing of the threatened forest is underway and Greenpeace activists have been suspended in forest tree tops for over 100 hours.
• Meanwhile, mining company Idemitsu Australia Resources has admitted it contracted two companies to employ spies to infiltrate the Maules Creek camp.
Contact:
Greenpeace Media Alison Orme 0432 332 104/ Jessa Latona 0488 208 465. Greenpeace photos of Leard Forest and tree top action available on request.