Fed-up farmers fight back against Extinction Rebellion protesters and activists who have threatened to drive their industry to the brink of collapse

Farmers have launched a multi-million dollar campaign to fight back against climate change and animal rights activists.

Extinction Rebellion activists caused chaos in Australian cities last week with a series of disruptive protests in an attempt to raise awareness for what they claim is a climate change 'emergency'.

The ER activists have links and overlap to vegan groups who had regularly targeted Australian farms with incursions and protests and promote an anti-meat and anti-grazier agenda.

In response, the National Farmers Federation has launched a $10million campaign to promote the benefits of farming to Australians.

National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson said she was worried that Australians were becoming more opposed to farming as a result of protests by left-wing 'minority groups'.

'We are one of the most trusted professions. But they do have some questions about looking after animals, our environmental practices, and how we look after land,' Ms Simson told The Australian.

'We farmers have allowed them to control the space. That is the story that they are putting out there, and we have been remiss in not telling our own stories.'

The campaign, Telling Our Story, was launched on Monday and aims to promote the farming industry to Australians.

The NFF is also encouraging teachers to educate students about agriculture.

Extinction Rebellion protesters swarmed major Australian cities on Friday.

Activists buried their heads in the sand at Sydney's Manly Beach, while Brisbane's William Jolly Bridge was flooded with marchers.

In Melbourne, more than 100 activists blocked cars and trams in both directions causing major disruptions.

A large number of activists were arrested.

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Disabled man said he was heckled and abused by Extinction Rebellion protesters

A revealing testimony to the low character of Warmists.  You can see how "caring" they really are

A disabled man claims he was heckled and abused by Extinction Rebellion protesters who blocked his way as he was trying to cross the street.

Matthew Zammit said he was disrupted by the protests while in Melbourne and tried to raise his concerns with activists, but was met with abuse and was called offensive names.

Climate change protesters descended on major cities across Australia last week with a week of demonstrations around the country.

Dozens showed up in Melbourne to occupy the steps of Parliament while hundreds more marched through the CBD while others camped in Melbourne's Carlton Gardens.

In a question submitted to the ABC program Q&A, Mr Zammit said it was particularly difficult for him to go about his day in Melbourne due to his disability. 

'I've been heavily disrupted by the protests last week. Many people have. But as somebody with a few disabilities it hits people like me harder,' he said.

He said he tried to raise his concerns with protesters when his bus was blocked as there were people chained to the tram tracks.

'I already had to walk with my crutch much more than usual that morning, when I attempted to speak with them on one side of the street I was jeered at and called offensive names,' Mr Zammit said. 'I struggled to the other side of the street and had fruitless arguments with protesters there.'

While Mr Zammit acknowledged that climate change was a serious issue, he asked the panel about the balance between the rights of people with disabilities and the right to protest.

Victorian Liberal MP Tim Wilson said Mr Zammit had also contacted him about his experience with the protesters. 'He's been deliberately instructed and put in extreme hardship as a consequence of their behaviour and they completely disregarded that,' Mr Wilson said in regards to the protesters.

Mr Wilson said that the protesters go about their own detriment which frustrates people trying to live their life. 'They have a right to have their voice heard and express their opinion and a right to associate and come together and protest that but if they have a right to shut down everybody's life in the process is going too far,' he said.

Labor MP Tim Watts said protesters should be listening to Mr Zammit's concerns and believes they need to accommodate for people with disabilities.

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Resist CSR activism

News that the eco-socialist network, Market Forces, intends to step up its campaign to choke investment in fossil fuel industries came as no surprise to those who have watched with concern the increasing activist pressure on the corporate world.

There is a burgeoning ‘social responsibility’ industry — managers and consultants employed in HR, people and culture and corporate affairs divisions, and in the major professional services firms — that is pushing companies to adopt more and more so-called socially responsible strategies and initiatives.

We are seeing pressure on businesses over a range of matters, from the use of traditional language — such as ‘she’ and ‘he’ — through to manufacturing practices, procurement and areas of investment. Even distribution can be a target, with Lego forced to stop distributing toys through service stations.

There is a legitimate business case for some CSR activities, particularly those related to core business activities and interests.

In today’s more complex business environment and questioning society, well-managed companies should use good commercial judgement to consider their activities’ social and environmental impact on relevant stakeholders in the community; thus helping protect the financial interests of shareholders.

But the notion that to earn an abstract ‘social license to operate’, companies must promote the non-shareholder interests of wider groups of stakeholders in the community, is a way of legitimising the idea that companies should take stances on social and political issues unrelated to their business activities.

This threatens to transform the business of business into politics. The approach being pushed by the CSR industry will inherently, inevitably, and inappropriately, politicise company brands and reputations.

Corporate leaders who might wish to limit CSR to appropriate business parameters are currently unable to be guided by any alternative set of principles, practices or institutional framework to counter the metastasising CSR doctrines and structures.

Inserting a ‘Community Pluralism Principle’ into company constitutions, or into ASX’s corporate governance guidelines, would remind directors and senior managers of the importance of ensuring CSR activities do not distract from the company’s core business purposes and negatively affect its brand by acquiring a reputation for being political.

This would also remind corporate decision-makers that public companies, given their special legal rights and privileges, should aspire to be pluralistic institutions that serve, respect and reflect the views and values of the whole community.

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Government pushing ahead with medevac repeal, despite Senate opposition

The government is pushing ahead with plans to unwind legislation that allows the transfer of sick asylum seekers to Australia, despite the prospect of a Senate veto.

On Tuesday, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg maintained repealing the so-called "medevac bill" was a priority for the Coalition. "Let me just make it very clear, it is our policy to reverse that legislation," Mr Frydenberg told reporters.

If the medevac repeal is scuttled, the government may be forced to keep the Christmas Island detention centre open, which could blow a hole in the federal budget.

But Mr Frydenberg insisted there is enough money in the budget to keep the centre running if the new Senate blocks the repeal. "We have made allocations in the budget for the maintenance of Christmas Island," he said.

"We can only reverse the legislation if it passes both houses of parliament. So let's work that through when the parliament resumes."

The medevac bill was passed by Labor and the independents against the Morrison government's wishes. It gives doctors more power to recommend the transfer of sick asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru for medical treatment.

The current Senate supports the medevac bill so the government has to wait until the new Senate starts in July to move forward with its planned repeal.

But it appears the Centre Alliance will wield significant power in the new Senate and on Monday, the two Centre Alliance senators indicated they will not support unwinding the bill.

"Centre Alliance supported the medevac bill in the last parliament and so we will not support it being repealed in the current one," Senator Stirling Griff said.

Labor and Greens have also indicated they will not support repeal, meaning the government would struggle to get it through the new upper house.

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 Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).    For a daily critique of Leftist activities,  see DISSECTING LEFTISM.  To keep up with attacks on free speech see Tongue Tied. Also, don't forget your daily roundup  of pro-environment but anti-Greenie  news and commentary at GREENIE WATCH .  Email me  here