Groundbreaking Smelter Protest

By Michelle Calvert, Project Officer Lead Advisory Service (LAS) NSW

Premier Bob Carr was met by a large crowd of protesters when he attended the "Ground-breaking Ceremony" for the new Port Kembla Copper Smelter.

Illawarra Residents Against Toxic Environments (IRATE) and the Wollongong Uni SRC, organised the rally on short notice when they discovered that Mr. Carr would be attending the "ceremony" on 4th February. At the gate to Port Kembla smelter, about 200 residents protested outside the fence while some university students managed to get inside the gate.

The protesters were unimpressed when Bob Carr blew kisses at them and thanked them for coming.

The invitation-only ceremony commemorated the start of major construction of a new smelting and refining plant.

IRATE invited Mr. Carr to answer the questions that to date remain unanswered:

• Why has he ignored IRATE's initial requests for a comprehensive health study?

• Can he explain the undemocratic behaviour of his Government by introducing the Port Kembla Special Provisions Bill?

• If he and his government have nothing to hide, then he should make it possible for the information that would have been revealed in the Helen Hamilton court challenge to be released for Public Scrutiny.

"Instead of turning over sods of contaminated earth, he should be turning over the information that his government appears to be frightened of ever seeing the light of day", said David Gilmour of IRATE.

Contact: Olive Rodwell: phone (02) 4274 4935 (after 2:00pm)