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Press Release |
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13 July, 1998 |
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Australian Government Deceiving British Consumers |
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In a forceful attack on the Australian Government's promotion of kangaroo meat in Britain, director of the vegetarian charity Viva! today accused them of 'gross deception'. Speaking on her return from a fact finding visit to Australia, Juliet Gellatley said: "For nothing more than short-term political goals, the Australian Government is sanctioning the greatest wildlife massacre in the world and through its High Commission in London is trying to sell the results of this carnage to a misinformed British public."
In a highly controversial tour of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland which had the support of 40 of Australia's wildlife and animal groups, Ms Gellatley tackled the kangaroo killing industry head on in numerous radio and TV debates. She claims it is imperative to stop the exploitation of the world's rapidly disappearing wildlife before it is too late:
"Every excuse offered for the extermination of kangaroos is scientifically insupportable. Six species have already been made extinct and others will follow as Australia cynically attempts to exploit all its wildlife. It's no good us crying crocodile tears over animals such as tigers and rhinos once they have been virtually destroyed. In the case of kangaroos, the time to act is now, while it is still possible to save them."
Ms Gellatley's forcibly expressed her views in 50 media interviews on Australia's west coast, including a major press conference at the Federal Parliament buildings hosted by Senator Andrew Bartlett. "The meat industry hated having a 'whinging Pom' criticising their industry," adds Ms Gellatley, "and tried to block my entry to the country. But what they hated most of all was the way our detailed research exposed the false claims that have allowed the kangaroo killing industry to prosper and grow."
Viva! research shows that almost every claim made by the industry, and repeated by the Australian High Commission, is grossly inaccurate. The kangaroo population is smaller, the numbers killed are greater, kangaroos pose no threat to agriculture, do not compete with sheep for grazing and do not threaten the environment. Most disturbing of all is the blatant cruelty involved, particularly the destruction of millions of babies - 'joeys' - who are either wrenched from their mothers pouches and clubbed to death or are left to die from exposure.
"The destruction of joey's is the Achilles' heel of the industry and something they simply refused to talk about", adds Ms Gellatley. "Instead they attacked me personally, claimed I was trying to make money out of kangaroos and one newspaper kindly dubbed me 'the dinner guest from hell!"
Britain's second biggest food retailers also comes in for strong criticism. "Sainsbury's are now the last supermarket chain to sell kangaroo meat." concludes Ms Gellatley. "It has aggressively tried to justify the trade simply by repeating the same inaccurate claims being promoted by the Australian High Commission. It has to be challenged or other foreign governments will use our supermarkets as a cover for the sale of wildlife. With 75 per cent of the world's species in decline or facing extinction it is important to bring an end to the sale of all 'exotic' meats and encourage morality in retailing."
The Honourable Richard Jones, Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, is even more damning of Sainsbury's. "Huge numbers of pregnant female kangaroos and their babies are being slaughtered every night and families destroyed and scattered through the blood lust of an indescribably cruel industry. Sainsbury's, in its greed for profits must take responsibility for the horror inflicted on innocent wildlife. They have blood on their hands!"
Note to Editors. Viva!'s campaign against exotic meats has already resulted in Tesco, Somerfield and Booker Cash & Carry rejecting the trade. It is shortly to be expanded with Sainsbury's as the focus in an International Day of Action.
For further information contact Juliet Gellatley on 0117 944 1000. Out of hours 0777 5583516.
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