A typically robust Australian approach
Taking an approach that has much to recommend it, our Oz friends have come up with something to put the wind up the extreme left, bunny huggers and their fellow travellers:
"The federal Treasurer (Peter Costello) yesterday announced changes that would leave groups that organise boycotts against companies for moral or ethical reasons at greater risk of prosecution. [It]...will give the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission powers to initiate legal action and seek compensation on behalf of companies targeted by boycotts. Mr Costello said the changes were aimed at protecting farmers against groups such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which has called for a global boycott of Australian wool over sheep mulesing. It is targeting designers in Milan during its fashion shows this week... Under existing competition law, the consumer commission can launch action and impose penalties on organisations that seek to hinder or prevent the supply of goods to or from a company. Unions have been fined as much as $150,000 for physically blocking goods or services.... He denied the changes could be used to limit free speech. "You can say what you like. You can be as ignorant as you like. There's no law that's going to stop ignorant commentary, but there will be a law which allows the ACCC to stand up for Australian farmers when they suffer from a boycott."
"The federal Treasurer (Peter Costello) yesterday announced changes that would leave groups that organise boycotts against companies for moral or ethical reasons at greater risk of prosecution. [It]...will give the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission powers to initiate legal action and seek compensation on behalf of companies targeted by boycotts. Mr Costello said the changes were aimed at protecting farmers against groups such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which has called for a global boycott of Australian wool over sheep mulesing. It is targeting designers in Milan during its fashion shows this week... Under existing competition law, the consumer commission can launch action and impose penalties on organisations that seek to hinder or prevent the supply of goods to or from a company. Unions have been fined as much as $150,000 for physically blocking goods or services.... He denied the changes could be used to limit free speech. "You can say what you like. You can be as ignorant as you like. There's no law that's going to stop ignorant commentary, but there will be a law which allows the ACCC to stand up for Australian farmers when they suffer from a boycott."
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on Thursday, February 22, 2007 at 2:51 pm.
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Powerful lot of good pickins coming up from down there at the moment C. I rather regret my ancestors were so honest.
I can think of many things worse than being A - Australian and B - having John Howard as my PM. And N, you could keep the Queen too.
Interesting. I can't imagine this will go down well with the Animal-Rights loonies.
In the middle on this one, Mr C. Of course Costello must do this to protect Australian industry but equally, if there is no protest, then an Exxon type disregard for the environment creeps in. And not just creeps either.
Telling people they mustn't decide not to buy something is not just an interference with freedom, but with the almighty Market.
Next step : Gubbamint decides we must buy a minimum of things we don't want or need.
Next : compulsory classical music. It's good for you.
Next : compulsory church. "It's good for you."
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