 |
A legal commentator from Melbourne University says the wool industry is
using a 'novel argument', in its court proceeding against People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA.
Australian Wool Innovation is hoping to use a section of the Trade Practices Act to stop PETA from pressuring US retailers to boycott Australian wool.
Associate Professor Pamela Hanrahan from the Faculty of Law says the 'secondary boycott' section is usually used in industrial relations.
But she says it was used in South Australia, in a case where conservationists allegedly tried to stop a bank from funding the Hindmarsh Island bridge.
"It's certainly a novel application of the section, as I said.
"The fact that it was used in the Hindmarsh Island case makes it clear and that was under the old language of the Act, and that was slightly narrower; makes it clear that it's been on lawyers' radar that it might be at least possible in this context.
"This sort of action is quite confrontational; it's not always the point at which parties in this kind of dispute would like to start, at the door of the Federal Court."
This is a transcript from the ABC National Rural News that is broadcast
daily to all states on ABC Regional Radio's Country Hour and in the city
on ABC News Radio.
News Archive 2003
Discussion Papers
Media Links