Press release – 24 August, 2014Sydney, Monday 25 August 2014: Greenpeace is urging the University of Sydney to listen to the community and dump its shares in Whitehaven Coal following the announcement today that the university is reviewing its investment policies and has “issued an instruction to make no further purchases in Whitehaven Coal.”“The University of Sydney is now acknowledging that its investment in Whitehaven Coal is problematic,” said Greenpeace campaigner Nikola Casule.
“While this is an important first step, it is clear the University already knows enough to justify dumping its entire $1 million investment in this destructive company today.
“Whitehaven Coal has been the target of sustained community protest over the past year for its destruction of endangered box gum forest, trashing Indigenous heritage sites, and plans to drain water reserves from prime farmland to build its coal mine at Maules Creek in north-western NSW,” Casule explained.
Over 15,000 people have
emailed Vice Chancellor Spence
since
Greenpeace exposed Sydney University’s
investments in the coal company last week.
“Each day that the University of Sydney delays is another day that Whitehaven Coal can use university money to push its destructive plans through,” said Greenpeace campaigner Nikola Casule.
“Whitehaven Coal is due to appear in court on 2nd September over the legality of its bulldozing of the Leard State Forest. Whitehaven Coal wants to start bulldozing again, regardless of the impact on local farmers, Indigenous heritage and critically endangered forest.”
For more information or interviews contact,
Elsa Evers
0438 204 041
or Nikola Čašule
0428 769 307
Images and video:
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