Greenwashing/Australia

Examples of greenwashing in Australia include:

A NSW Minerals Council advertisement from 2006. The dominant mining in NSW is for open-cut coal mines. "Mining", the advertisement stated, "employs more environmentalists than the entire environment movement". The "NSW minerals industry," it continued, "continues to work with dedication and commitment to to ensure that the industry is at the forefront of innovative ways to minimise the environmental impacts of mining". See NSW Minerals Council's Greenwashing for larger format version of the advertisments.

In February 2007 the Newcastle environment group, Rising Tide launched a website parodying the "Life: Brought to you by mining" advertising campaign by the NSW Minerals Council (NSWMC), the state's peak mining industry lobby group. The NSWMC campaign was launched a little over a month before the New South Wales March 24, 2007 state election. See NSW SLAPPs/NSW Minerals Council vs Rising Tide for more details.

In August 2007 the New South Wales Greens complained to the Australian corporate regulator that Saab's "Grrrrrreen" advertising campaign makes deceptive claims and is greenwashing.^[1] The "Grrrrrreen" ad states that "every Saab is green." Another ad for one car model, which runs on a part ethanol mix, proclaims it is "fueled by nature: enjoy more power with a cleaner conscience." Green member of parliament Lee Rhiannon argues that according to Australian government data, ^[2] Saab cars have relatively poor environmental performance. Saab's best performing car was ranked 33rd.
- In January 2008, Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission launched legal proceedings against GM Holden Ltd and Saab Australia, "alleging misleading and deceptive conduct and false representations concerning 'green' claims made in the advertising of Saab vehicles." A hearing on the legal challenge was set for February 6, 2008. ^[3]^[4]

Greenwashing Case studies

↑ Wendy Frew, "Green claims attacked", Sydney Morning Herald, August 2, 2007.
↑ Australian Government Department of Transport and Regional Services, "Green Vehicle Guide", accessed August 2007.
↑ Press release, "ACCC takes action against GM Holden Ltd over Saab 'green' claims," Australia Competition and Consumer Commission, January 18, 2008.
↑ Ben Cubby, "Saab not that green: watchdog," Sydney Morning Herald, January 19 2008.

Greenwash report (a website with a focus on greenwashing in Australia): http://www.greenwashreport.org/

Tony Mohr, Reputation or Reality?: A Discussion Paper on Grenwash & Corporate Sustainability, Total Environment Centre, 2005.
Rachel Carbonell, "Greenwashing", Background Briefing, ABC Radio National, February 10, 2008.

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