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Australian Government to give farmers greater protection against activists who mount economically damaging campaigns against their products

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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.”

 

 

 

 

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