[Greens-Media] Media conference - Greens MPs join Malaysian environmentalists to protest Australian and radioactive rare-earth refinery

[Jegatheeswaran, Brami (Jegan) (Sen L. Rhiannon)]

MEDIA ALERT
28 November 2013

Media conference - Greens MPs join Malaysian environmentalists to protest Australian and radioactive rare-earth refinery

Greens MPs will join representatives from one of the largest environmental movements in Malaysia, Himpunan Hijau, to raise objections to the actions of the Australian mining company, Lynas Corporation's, toxic and radioactive rare-earth refinery, which is responsible for toxic and radioactive waste dumped in local rivers.

WHO:
Australian Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon
Member for Balmain Jamie Parker
Representatives from Himpunan Hijau

WHAT:

On 4 August  2011 Australian company Lynas Corporation<http://stoplynas.org/lynas-corporation/> officially opened its Mt Weld rare earth<http://stoplynas.org/what-are-rare-earths/> mine in Western Australia. Lynas has started to export 33,000 tonnes per annum of rare earth concentrates through the port of Fremantle in Western Australia to the port of Kuantan in Malaysia where it is then processed at the highly polluting, energy intensive Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP)<http://stoplynas.org/lamp/>.

The Greens and Himpunan Hijau are calling for the rare earths to be processed in Australia at Mt Weld where they are mined and the toxic legacy stored in the ground on location rather than left in piles on swampland in Malaysia,

The campaign against Lynas is also supported by Friends of the Earth Australia, Beyond Nuclear Initiative and Aid/WATCH, who will also be present if the media would like to speak to them.

PHOTO OP:
1) Occupation outside Lynas Headquarters: Tue-Thu 28 Nov, 56 Pitt Street, Sydney.
2) Protest outside Lynas Corporation Annual General Meeting: Fri  29 Nov, 8:30am-1:00pm, Opposite Establishment Hotel,  252 George Street Sydney.

WHERE: Back of NSW State Parliament

WHEN: TODAY, Thursday 28 November 10am

Media contact:  0487 350  880

Website: http://savemalaysia-stoplynas.blogspot.com.au/


Brami Jegan
Media Adviser 0487 350 880
Office of Senator Lee Rhiannon | Australian Greens Senator for New South Wales

72 Campbell Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
p: (02) 9211 9523 | f: (02) 9211 3312

http://lee-rhiannon.greensmps.org.au/

Our Sydney office is on the land of the Gadigal People of the Eora nation.