Australia
March 2, 2007
Backing for farmers against
secondary boycotts
The Australian Government will
amend the Trade Practices Act to give farmers greater protection
against activists who mount economically damaging campaigns
against their products.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter
McGauran, said the amendments would allow the Australian
Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to take class actions
on behalf of farmers to recover losses or damage caused by
secondary boycotts.
“Individual farmers often do not
have the funds to take legal action to defend themselves against
secondary boycotts promoted by well-resourced extremist groups,”
Mr McGauran said.
“We have seen activists mount
damaging campaigns, based on misleading information, that have
encouraged the public not to buy particular farm produce. These
campaigns can lead to substantial economic losses.
“Under the Government’s changes,
the ACCC would be able to take action on behalf of all
Australian farmers to recover damages, rather than individual
producers being forced to fund their own actions.”
Mr McGauran cited as an example
the current campaign by the foreign-based animal rights group,
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which he
said was based on misleading and highly selective information
about Australia’s wool and sheep industry.
“The public campaign by PETA has
failed to mention that mulesing is undertaken to prevent the
severe and often fatal effects of flystrike. As a result, the
group has completely misled consumers and retailers about the
industry,” he said.
“PETA is a group that is also on
record as saying that merino sheep should not be farmed in
Australia and that animals should not be kept as pets.
“The changes we will enact would
allow the ACCC to bring actions on behalf of farmers against
this type of campaign.” |