An Australian MP in the port of Fremantle may call for an inquiry into the risk and hazards of transporting raw materials to be exported to the Lynas plant in Gebeng, through its cities and suburbs, says an anti-Lynas NGO.

SMSL Freo MP Adele Carles (right1) “The state member of parliament for Fremantle Adele Carles ( far right in photo ) raised alarm on the risk of transporting the rare earth concentrate as non-hazardous materials in the state’s highway traversing through populated suburbs of Perth and the city of Fremantle.

 “Previously, a similar mode of transportation of lead by a company by the name of Magellan had caused serious hazards for the community living near the Port of Esperance,” said the Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas Committee (SMSL) in a statement today.

An 11-member SMSL team has just completed a week in Western Australia’s Perth and Fremantle to campaign against the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) rare earth plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.

During their campaing, apart from informing Australians of the dangers the Lynas plant poses to the residents of Gebeng, the NGO also highlighted the hazards of plant’s activities to West Australians.

Lynas protest SMSL with Green Party MPs outside WA parliament “The people of Fremantle are already jittery with the risk associated with this and now they are faced with the transportation of rare earth concentrate through their suburbs.

“(Carles) is committed to calling for an inquiry into the risk and hazards of the transportation of the concentrate to delay the export of the raw materials to Malaysia,” said SMSL.

In the NGO’s second visit to Australia, home to the company that has built the controversial plant in Gebeng, their 11-member team spent a week meeting with local politicians, groups and media in Perth and Fremantle port.

They first visited Sydney in early July when they had protested in front of the Lynas headquarters.

Getting local Aussies involved

SMSL said they were pleased that their campaign has received general support from the locals, whom they said had little prior knowledge of the issue.

SMSL in front of Lynas Perth office “The campaign tour has resulted in many positive outcomes. Almost all of the people met have little knowledge of the Lynas’ plant in Malaysia and many were appalled by the modus operandi of this mining corporation.

“Of utmost importance is the commitment made by the Mayor of Fremantle ,Brad Pettite, to work with other Fremantle councillors, state and federal politicians to call for the Lynas rare earth refinery to be relocated back to Australia,” said SMSL.

The NGO has also sought the assistance of the Australian National Toxic Network to use their expertise and technical knowledge in providing more in-depth analysis on the  risks and hazards of the Lynas plant in Gebeng to counter the official position on the issue.

SMSL Fremantle Town Councillor Sam Wainwright During their campaing, SMSL lobbied state and federal politicians and trade unions to intervene of Lynas’ project, meeting with various parties and holding protests in front of Lynas’ Perth office.

Retired Western Australia senator Jo Valentine joined the Perth protest held on the final day of the campaign.

                                        

SMSL also organised an information counter at a market in Fremantle and public forums in each of the two cities, with the assistance of Valentine and Fremantle town councillor Sam Wainwright ( above ).

Press enthusiastic

The NGO reported encouraging press coverage of their campaign, from front page reports in the papers to radio coverage.

“Despite having to compete with hundreds of other media stories, the visit of SMSL has attracted several leading articles in the front page of the financial section of the major newspapers and was broadcast by local radio.  

“The campaign of SMSL in Fremantle has especially got front page coverage in the Fremantle Gazette which is widely read by the people of the city,” it said.