Incitec Pivot statement on Western Sahara

This statement was sent to the Australian radio Pulse Radio, 10 January 2007.

Published 12 January 2007

The statement was sent to the radio by Neville Heydon, Corporate Affairs Adviser. IPL refused to participate in an interview. 

STATEMENT FOR PULSE RADIO 10 JANUARY 2007 
Incitec Pivot is satisfied that it is not breaching international law by importing from its Moroccan supplier phosphate rock mined in the Western Sahara. 

The company says it is relevant to note that the Australian Government has not prohibited the importing of resources from the region. 

It has met with representatives of the Victorian branch of Australian Western Sahara Association and Kamal Fadel, the West Sahara Polisario\'s representative in Australia. 

Incitec Pivot says it is continuing to watch the Western Sahara situation closely. While there are other sources, suitable phosphate rock is found only in a handful of countries and there is pressure on global supplies. 

It has been importing some phosphate rock from Morocco for its single superphosphate plants at Geelong, Portland and Newcastle for 20 years. 

Phosphate rock makes up 60 per cent of the 700,000 tonnes of SSP the company produces annually for use by Australian farmers. 

All Australian SSP manufacturers use at least some rock from the Western Sahara. 


 

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