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Calls for woolgrowers to urge on the side of caution over legal action against animal activists.
“Australian Wool Innovation is duty bound to ‘come clean’ over its apparent hasty legal action and clearly spell out the current situation of legal proceedings before inviting woolgrowers to participate in any class action” says Australian Wool Growers Association Chairman Chick Olsson.
The distributed invitation to woolgrowers to sign up for a class action, hand over a “Power of Attorney” to AWI and seek an indemnity from AWI for all costs and potential damages raises significant questions which need clear and detailed explanation before woolgrowers sign up to any action.
The invitation issued to members of the Western Australian Farmers Federation has been brought to the attention of the Australian Wool Growers Association by concerned woolgrowers.
The Australian Wool Growers Association has repeatedly sought reassurance from AWI over the risk assessment and due diligence of the perceived consequences of taking well resourced, media savvy animal rights activists along the expensive legal minefield with little or no response.
”It would now appear as if the initial AWI legal skirmish is wavering, why does AWI suddenly need 250 woolgrowers to sign up to a class action?” asks Mr Olsson, Chairman of AWGA
“Does this mean that the initial 60 Minutes stunt was just that, a media exercise, without sufficient legal precedent to deliver the objectives portrayed by AWI?”
“Does AWI have in its charter, the ability to offer unlimited funds to compensate those who do choose to support this legal action should there be damages sought and what is the overall cost limit AWI is placing on such claims.?”
Mr Olsson added that all woolgrowers should individually seek detailed information before contemplating signing up to what could be a long , expensive and potentially devastating class action,
What steps have been taken to widen the circle of research and accelerate
an outcome on alternatives to mulesing? What steps have been taken to
make existing alternatives more affordable, better understood and more
widely available?
If AWI intend to fight PETA in the courts, why does AWI expect to succeed
where the fur industry has failed?
What cause of action does AWI believe is open to woolgrowers and in what jurisdiction does AWI intend to bring it?
Which US legal counsel has been briefed to advise on the issue and what is there current advice about prospects? If AWI bring a cause of action and fail, AWI will enrage PETA and guarantee their implacable opposition to Australian wool for the next decade.
How does AWI evaluate the likelihood of that outcome arising and what due diligence have AWI undertaken about alternatives to that approach?
Clearly the Australian Wool Growers Association believe that the suggested
invitation to join any legal class action should rejected by woolgrowers
until it can be demonstrated overwhelmingly that this is the appropriate
course of action with guaranteed results and in the best interest of all
wool industry participants including our important overseas customers.
News Archive 2003
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