2006 News
Pink is PETA's new celebrity puppet
The Australian Wool and Sheep Industry Taskforce has dismissed claims made by pop singer Pink as naive and ill informed, after the singer used a Paris concert to call for an international boycott of Australian wool.
“Pink has been a supporter of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for some time. The public is growing tired of the relatively few celebrities who are only too willing to offer opinions on things they know nothing about. Her claims are misleading and deceptive, as is a large part of the campaign waged against the Australian wool industry by PETA," said Les Targ, from the Australian Wool and Sheep Industry Taskforce.
“Pink leads a very different lifestyle to hardworking Australian woolgrowers who are battling one of the worst droughts in history. How could she possibly speak with authority on the issue of mulesing?”
The Australian Wool and Sheep Industry Taskforce will make immediate contact with Pink outlining the truth about sheep welfare standards in Australia.
“The truth is: Australian woolgrowers practice standards of animal welfare equal to the highest in the world.
“Mulesing is a necessary practice to prevent the terrible deaths of millions of sheep from flystrike. We are committed to phasing it out by 2010 but until then the practice is supported as necessary by the Australian Government, the Australian Veterinary Association and the RSPCA.”
Mr Targ said that other celebrities who had initially been misled by PETA had responded well once presented with the facts.
Actress Toni Collette initially supported the PETA campaign against mulesing but later stated: “The issue is not as black and white as was previously presented to me. I was given to understand that there were ‘effective and humane alternatives to prevent fly strike’ and they are ‘currently available’. I am now aware that there are no simple alternatives available to farmers at this time.”
Mr Targ continued, “We hope that Pink can take the time, as Ms Collette did, to understand the truth and PETA’s radical agenda to hide it.”