Media Alert 1 May 2007 Concerned Citizens Blockade Cyanide Trucks 10 am Wednesday 2 May 2007 Dasea Street, (off Muir, near Rookwood Road) Chullora NSW In support of solidarity actions across the world against mining giant Barrick Gold, concerned citizens in Sydney will blockade trucks transporting cyanide to Barrick's mine at Lake Cowal, central western NSW. Up to 6090 tonnes of cyanide is being transported from the Orica plant in Gladstone, Queensland, 1600km away, to Lake Cowal every year. The cyanide is being freighted by train over 20 rivers, through 10 national parks and through 200 towns and trucked through densely populated areas of Sydney from Chullora to Parramatta and the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains. "We want the facts," said Cyanide Watch organiser, Graeme Dunstan. "We want communities in Australia to know about the possible threat from a cyanide spill to their public health and water ways." "The maker of the cyanide, Orica, the transporter, Pacific National, and the approver of its transport as a Dangerous Good, the NSW Minister for Planning, are all withholding the facts on the grounds of national security and commercial confidence," says Dunstan http://www.peacebus.com/CyanideWatch/070417ToxicEvasions.html The protestors demand to know how appropriate emergency response can be planned for a cyanide spill if the magnitude of the hazard continues to be kept a secret to both Sydney citizens and the responding agencies. This action will be just one of many actions being targeted at Barrick Gold, the world's biggest gold producer and cyanide criminal on the day of its AGM in Toronto. http://www.protestbarrick.net More information: Graeme Dunstan Cyanide Watch 0407 951 688 www.peacebus.com/CyanideWatch International Day of Action Against Barrick Gold http://www.protestbarrick.net The International Day of Action Against Barrick Gold solidarity actions in: Australia; Peru; Argentina; Chile; Phillipines; USA; Canada; Europe and Papua New Guinea. http://protestbarrick.net/article.php?id=82 Download the Alternative Barrick Annual Report: http://protestbarrick.net/downloads/barrick_report.pdf Further information Natalie Lowrey (Toronto, Canada) 0011 1 647 268 4440 A freshly painted Pacific National N29 locomotive. Pacific National is the sole carrier of Orica cyanide on the Brisbane-Sydney trunk line. Media Release - 2 May 2007 Greens call for an info, not cyanide, spill On the International Day of Action against gold mining giant Barrick Gold, Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has called on the Iemma government to come clean on what emergency measures are in place to respond if deadly cyanide is spilt on route to Barrick Gold's mine in Central West NSW. This morning protesters, including members of Cyanide Watch, held an action at the transfer station for trucks transporting cyanide to Barrick Gold's mine at Lake Cowal. Protests are also planned in the USA, Canada, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Tanzania, PNG and Europe. "6,000 tonnes of cyanide will be trucked through NSW each year to feed the Lake Cowal goldmine, but the government is still withholding information on the risks to public safety. "A cyanide spill will be deadly to residents living along the route. "The government has chosen to hide behind dodgy exceptions of 'commercial in confidence' and 'national security' rather than reveal what emergency plans are in place in the event of an accident. "Residents along the route who face a cyanide spill should be granted the opportunity to lift the veil and scrutinise the government's proposed emergency response. "A cyanide spill is no environmental group 'fantasy'. "The US state of Montana witnessed 62 cyanide spills and leaks between 1992 and 1998 before finally banning goldmining. "Statistics from the RTA show up to 10 per cent of trucks are involved in a mishap each year. "The NSW government has turned a blind eye to history because it prioritises the profits of big mining giants over public safety. "Gold mining holds an enormous capacity to destroy land, ecosystems, waterways and human lives. "When NSW Parliament resumes next week the Greens will also question the government about the enormous license it has granted Barrick Gold to hijack our scarce water supplies," Ms Rhiannon said. Further information Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568 Alison Orme Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (p/t Wed-Fri) Macquarie St, Sydney 2000 Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550 Mobile: 0432 332 104 Email alison.orme@parliament.nsw.gov.au Web www.leerhiannon.org.au Graeme Dunstran, Peacebus.com captain and organiser of Cyanide Watch, on the rail at South Kyogle, 28 March 2007