Harvey Norman can’t appear to do anything right these days as protests against its forest destruction goes global. This weekend saw fresh attacks by the global Green Left movement from Canada to Bristol, which saw 30 actions globally roll out as part of a 24 hour protest, criticising the retailer for its destruction of native forests.
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Over 30 actions took place around the world as part of 24 hours of action targeting retailer Harvey Norman for their role in helping to drive the destruction of Australia’s native forests.
This comes after several activists from The Last Stand abseiled down the Opera House and hung a condemning banner stating: “No Harvey No! Stop selling Aussie forest destruction”.
Separately, two campaigners were arrested at Harvey Norman’s store in Preston Melbourne after occupying the roof with a similar banner.
“Hundreds of people across the planet have taken action today to tell Harvey Norman that profiting from Australia’s forest destruction is absolutely unacceptable in this day and age,” said Ula Majewski, spokesperson for The Last Stand.
Protests against the Aussie giant took place in Ontario, Canada, Auckland and even spread to Europe with Bristol and Prague also seeing protests, according to Greenleft.org.
Thisis despite the fact the retailer has no market presence in any of these countries.
“From the sails of the Sydney Opera House to the forests of East Gippsland and from the World Cup stadium in Johannesberg to Harvey Norman stores in Wellington and Auckland, the global community have stood up and said No Harvey No! Stop selling Aussie forest destruction,” Majewski added.
teh activist group called on Harvey’s to” to take urgent action for our spectacular forests and stop selling furniture and flooring products sourced from native forests. There are readily available alternatives such as recycled and plantation timber,” said another The Last Stand spokesperson.
Read Major Opera House Protest Against Harvey Norman
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But its not just the Green Left that is on the warpath with Harvey Norman and Chairman Gerry Harvey.
The Christian Today Australia group has also launched a scathing attack on Gerry Harvey’s publicised “be happy and spend’ philosophy.
Well-Being Australia chairman, Mark Tronson warned Harvey’s push on consumer materialism to buying iPad’s and the like (and forget about the bank managers banging in on the door) may suit retail moguls like himself and their bottom lines but in reality “what is good for the high profile retailers may not necessarily be good for the ‘Mums and Dads’ of Australia,” he argues.
“It is precisely because Mr and Mrs ‘Average Australian’ have been buying what were once termed ‘luxuries’, but are now advertised as ‘necessities’, that retail businesses such as Harvey’s have been doing well. However, for these ordinary people, being in debt certainly doesn’t make them happy.”
