Burial site battle begins

[Dan Cass]

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MEDIA RELEASE
12 February 2002


Burial site battle begins 

Bulldozers and private security guards with Rottweilers moved this morning to remove 50 members of a year-long vigil at the pristine Sandon Point coastal site near Wollongong which contains a 6000-year old Aboriginal burial ground. 

Upper House Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said today, "The Carr Government is picking a major environmental battle if it allows the developer consortium led by Nick Greiner to desecrate this precious area. 

"The development by Stocklands endangers a number of threatened species in this prime coastal ecosystem that contains 27% of the remaining Illawarra wetlands.

"The Greens believe that this is one of the most environmentally destructive developments currently happening on Australia's east coast.

"Indigenous owners and environmentalists have the backing of the local community so the Minister for Planning Andrew Refshauge is picking a serious battle if he lets private muscle-men bully the protestors off the site," said Ms Rhiannon.

Ms Rhiannon will be joining the protest at 12:00pm today. 







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