[Greens-Media] ALERT: Newcastle offshore coal exploration: protest Monday

[Lee Rhiannon]

Media Alert - Greens MP Lee Rhiannon - 7 November 2008

Newcastle offshore coal exploration: community protest Monday

What: 	Community protest * No coal exploration off Newcastle coast!
Hands off our beaches! Don't upset whales!
When: 10:00am, Monday 10 November 2008 
Speakers: Lee Rhiannon, Greens MP
Michael Osborne, Newcastle Greens Councillor 
Sam East, The Newcastle Wilderness Society
Brad Sutton, Surfriders Association Hunter Region
Phillipa Parsons, Lake Macquarie Greens Councillor
Where: Nobby's carpark at Nobby*s Beach

The company Energie Future Pty Ltd has applied to explore for seabed
coal deposits in a 6,000km* area off the NSW coast, including seabed off
Newcastle. 

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said: *A large offshore coal mining project
would be devastating for the environment. 

*If approved, exploration could come within 5km of Port Stephens.  

*Marine life would suffer and whale migration routes could be
disrupted by seismic testing involved in exploration.

Greens councillor Michael Osborne said: *I have a motion before
Newcastle Council saying no to plans to explore for seabed coal deposits
off Newcastle. This motion will be debated this Tuesday night.  

*If this project is approved, the coal ships waiting off the
Newcastle Coast would soon be joined by drilling platforms and offshore
processing terminals. The local tourism industry would suffer. 

*The Greens will run a strong local campaign in the Hunter to stop
this project and protect our marine ecology*, said Mr Osborne.

Photo opportunity: Speakers and local residents with colourful banners
and model whales. 

For more information: 
Lee Rhiannon 	9230 3551, 0427 861 568
Michael Osborne 	0439 442 984


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Lee Rhiannon, MLC
The Greens
Parliament of New South Wales
Macquarie St 
Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 
Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
lee.rhiannon at parliament.nsw.gov.au
http://www.lee.greens.org.au/
http://www.democracy4sale.org/ 

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