‘Pathetic’: Furore over iconic logo ‘rip off’
Written by admin on July 12, 2024
Labor has been accused of ripping off an iconic logo while promoting their Future Made in Australia policy, with the Coalition branding the move as “pathetic”.
A green triangle with a gold outline of Australia was shared by senior ministers, including Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell, to promote the Future Made in Australia policy.
However, the logo bears a striking resemblance to the Australian Made logo, which is known as the “true mark of Aussie authenticity” for Australian products.
Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley slammed the government’s use of the logo, calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to order a take-down notice.
“The Labor Party has been caught ripping off the iconic Australian Made brand to try to sell their failed budget and their flailing industry policies. It is pathetic and needs to stop today,” Ms Ley said.
“We have uncovered a calculated campaign from Labor using the iconic Australia Made logo and members of the cabinet peddling a rip-off version. It is something you’d expect from dodgy companies, not our national leaders.”
Ms Ley also questioned what kind of message it sent to manufacturers paying fees for the trademark and said the ”rip off” was a “test” for Mr Albanese.
“Will he do the right thing and stick up for the Australian Made brand or will he let his team continue to rip off our country by continuing this unacceptable activity. There is a red line which Labor has crossed and it will have a negative impact on this iconic brand.”
She added even if the posts were taken down, “the damage is done”.
“We need to get to the bottom of this matter because Australians deserve to know who is behind this and who is responsible for ripping off this brand. Labor must commit to not using data captured through this petition,” she said.
A government spokesperson asked if “Sussan Ley (is) going to vote for a future made in Australia or not?”
A spokesperson for Australian Made said they’re aware the logo has been used by the Australian Labor Party, and that they have engaged with the ALP to “resolve the matter”.
The standard Australian Made logo is on a Future Made in Australia petition on the Australian Labor Party website, where people are encouraged to sign up to an email list to support the ALP’s plan.
“A decade of waste and rorts from the Liberals saw Australia’s industrial capacity weaken. The height of this neglect was on full display when they goaded the car industry to leave, sending tens of thousands of jobs with it,” the website states before urging people to sign their “Build it Here” pledge to stay in the loop.
“Australia cannot afford another wasted decade. We need to revive our ability to make world-class products and, in the process, create secure well-paid jobs for Australians.”
More than 4500 businesses use the Australian Made logo, which shouldn’t be used on anything but “registered products” according to the Australian Made website.
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It comes after the federal government introduced the $22.7bn Future Made in Australia Bill to position Australia as a leader in the global renewable energy sector.
The legislative framework will oversee how the government partners with the private sector to deliver more renewable projects, like green hydrogen, and the manufacturing of solar panels and batteries.
The major policy pillar formed a key part of Labor’s federal budget this year, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers calling the energy transition to net-zero emissions as “the biggest transformation in the global economy since the industrial revolution”.
