Inside Spin/Food Fights

Inside Spin/Food Fights is a chapter from Bob Burton's book on the Australian PR industry, Inside Spin: The Dark Underbelly of the PR Industry.

Footnote References from the Chapter

• 1 T. Abbot, "Concerns raised over obesity in Australia", doorstop interview, 3 February 2006, accessed July 2006.
• 2 M. Metherell, "Labor to junk food ads on children’s TV", Sydney Morning Herald, 17 June 2004, accessed January 2007.
• 3 S. Canning, "PM echoes food giants’ ad ban fight", The Weekend Australian, 19 June 2004, p. 3.
• 4 Australian Association of National Advertisers, "Issues Management", accessed July 2006.
• 5 P. Bush, Presentation to Obesity Forum, Parliament House, Canberra, 2 December 2005.
• 6 Professional Public Relations, "What’s On Your Plate—Nutrition Education Program", Submission to the 1993 Golden Target Awards.
• 7 M. Sheehan, "Super Size Me: A comparative analysis of response to crises by McDonald's America and McDonald's Australia", in C. Galloway and K. Kwanesh-Aidoo (eds), Public Relations Issues and Crisis Management: Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Thomson, Melbourne, 2005, pp. 67–79.
• 8 Crisis Manager Newsletter, "Just a Thought", 1 July 2004, accessed January 2007.
• 9 S. Dabkowski, "Spitting chips, McDonald's fights back", The Age, 14 June 2004, accessed January 2007.
• 10 "Mr Big Mac To Be Grilled By McLibel Two", media release, 1 May 1996, accessed May 2007.
• 11 McDonald’s Corporation, "Ronald McDonald House", Submission to Public Relations Society of America 1981 Silver Anvil Awards, p. 1.
• 12 Professional Public Relations,"McHappy Day Post Mortem",May/June 1991, p. 3.
• 13 In 1999 the Public Relations Institute of Australia adopted a policy that using advertising value equivalents was inappropriate and unethical way to measure the value of a public relations campaign. See Public Relations Institute of Australia, "PR Industry calls for marketing to reject unethical measurement", media release, 22 August 2006, accessed November 2006; and J. Macnamara, "The Serious Practical & Ethical Flaws in Using Advertising Value Equivalents to Measure PR", CARMA International (Asia Pacific) Pty Ltd, June 2005, accessed November 2006.
• 14 M. Skelsey, "Disease victim planned a party", Daily Telegraph-Mirror, 24 April 1992.
• 15 P. Meadows, "Memo: Cooling Towers & Legionnaires Disease", 14 July 1992.
• 16 Public Relations Institute of Australia, "Hypothetical", Proceedings of Public Relations Industry of Australia and New Zealand Vox Pop Conference, Sydney, November 1995.
• 17 K. Meagher, "McDonald's and Legionella—Crisis Management", 1993 Golden Target Awards Outstanding External Communication of the Year, Professional Public Relations, p. 2.
• 18 "As of yesterday there are no water-cooled air-conditioning units operating in any of McDonald's 317 restaurants", the advertisement stated. See McDonald’s Australia, 'As of yesterday', advertisement, 19 August 1992.
• 19 Public Relations Institute of Australia, "Hypothetical", Proceedings of Public Relations Industry of Australia and New Zealand Vox Pop Conference, Sydney, November 1995.
• 20 Grace Dearborn, 'Consulting Service Report', 6 May 1992.
• 21 D. Margan, A Current Affair, March 2001.
• 22 G. Russo, A Current Affair, March 2001.
• 23 McDonald's Australia, 'Highly Confidential: 60 Minutes Strategy', undated, 1995.
• 24 P. Lazar, interview with author, 28 July 1998.
• 25 Four years later, it was revealed that after McDonald’s committed over $170 000 as sponsorship for "recorded spots" on 2UE's breakfast program for 1999, the station's program director, John Brennan, wrote a memo to John Laws and Alan Jones stating, "It is obviously imperative that no derogatory comments about McDonald's are made by any broadcaster on the station. Any such comment would see an immediate cancellation of the contract." See B. Lagan, ‘No Grilling, please, it's McDonald's', Sydney Morning Herald, 22 July 1999, p. 1.
• 26 P. Lazar, interview with author, 28 July 1998.
• 27 Mothers Opposing Pollution, "MOP Column", Women's Environment News, August 1994, p. 2.
• 28 Mothers Opposing Pollution, petition, undated.
• 29 Mothers Opposing Pollution, "Thousands sign petition against plastic milk bottles", MOP News, undated, p. 2.
• 30 'Mums seek switch to milk cartons', Sunshine Coast Daily, 22 May 1995.
• 31 Mothers Opposing Pollution, "Public uproar over plastic milk bottle dumping scandal in SA", Women’s Environment News, April 1994, p. 3.
• 32 B. Atkinson, "Mothers Opposing Pollution", Legislative Council Hansard, 4 May 1994, pp. 57–58.
• 33 ibid.
• 34 Mothers Opposing Pollution, "Worldwide warning to women about cancer link to plastic milk bottles", press release, 6 December 1994.
• 35 A. Taylor, "Milk in plastic safe, say experts", The Evening Post, 8 December 1994.
• 36 A. Taylor, "Toxic milk lobbyists' motives questioned", The Evening Post, 10 December 1994; "Toxic milk warnings prompts questions", The Southland Times, 10 December 1994.
• 37 B. Williams, "Question over business links: greenie in carton war", The Courier Mail, 10 February 1995, p. 1.
• 38 ibid.
• 39 J. Rundle, Mothers Opposing Pollution, letter to politicians, 7 August 1995. The National Food Authority was the predecessor of the current food regulator, the Australia New Zealand Food Authority.
• 40 Ogilvy & Mather Public Relations New York, 'Nutritional and Flavour Advantages of Milk in Paper Packaging', submission to the Public Relations Society of America 1984 Silver Anvil Awards, p. 1.
• 41 J.E. Davey, "The Society of Plastics Industry Inc vs the Paperboard Packaging Council Inc, Civil Action no 84-3122', 30 August 1985.
• 42 J. Rundle, 'An application to vary the Australian Food Standards Code to require milk packaging to properly protect the vitamins in milk against light damage', Mothers Opposing Pollution, September 1995.
• 43 J. Lewis, National Food Authority, letter to J. Rundle, 2 November 1995.
• 44 J. Rundle, Mothers Opposing Pollution, letter to National Food Authority, 21 November 1995, pp. 4–5.
• 45 Association of Liquidpaperboard Carton Manufacturers, "Kids lead supermarket protest", media release, 21 November 1995.
• 46 National Food Authority, 'Information Summary: protection of the vitamin content of milk from photodegradation', January 1996.
• 47 G. van Rijswijk, 'Submission to the National Food Authority on protection of milk vitamin content from photodegradation', Association of Liquidpaperboard Carton Manufacturers, March 1996, p. 6.
• 48 National Food Authority, 'Summary of Public Comment', attachment 2.
• 49 Prepac Australasia Ltd, letter to Market Milk Federation of Australia Inc., 1 May 1996.
• 50 J. Lewis, 'Note for file A288 photodegradation of milk vitamin content', National Food Authority, 1 August 1996.
• 51 J. Rundle, Mothers Opposing Pollution, letter to National Food Authority, 2 August 1996, p 3.
• 52 J. Lewis, Australia New Zealand Food Authority, letter to J. Rundle, 7 August 1996.
• 53 Federal Court of Australia, "1839/99 Kirella Pty Ltd v Hooper (includes corrigendum dated 31 December 1999 [1999 FCA 1839"], 23 December 1999, cited at <>.
• 54 Westfield Holdings, 'Statement to Media in relation to the Sydney Morning Herald article of 18 December 1999'.
• 55 D. MacFarlane, "Westfield boss sorry for 'spying' on rivals", The Australian, 4 February 2000.
• 56 ibid.
• 57 RWE Company Announcements, "Westfield says legal action resolved", 9 July 2004.
• 58 S. Glew, interview with author, 21 September 2006.
• 59 "Towering Inferno", In The Know, The Australian, 18 March 2004.
• 60 A. Davies, "Public relations, private interests", Sydney Morning Herald, 16 December 2000.
• 61 D. Johnston, "Mall or nothing for Lowy's US rivals", The Daily Telegraph, 25 August 2001.
• 62 M. Vellinga, "Setback for Lent Ranch project", Sacramento Bee, 8 June 2002, p. A1; L. Kalb, "Community groups seek a united effort; Summit sparks call for residents to work together for change", Sacramento Bee, 24 August 2006.
• 63 D. Johnston, "Lowy plays hardball in the US—Shopping mall world is survival of the fittest", The Courier Mail, 23 September 2002.
• 64 G. Maddaus, "Chang rallies against plan for racetrack", Pasadena Star-News, 22 March 2006; see also Arcadia First! at <http://arcadiafirst.org/>.
• 65 C. Harris, "Mall Owner Battles Renton Plan It Sees Development as Threat to SouthCenter", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 14 July 2006, p. D1.
• 66 C. Harris, "Supporters Come In For The Landing: Ground Broken On Retail Developments: SouthCenter Mall Owner Contesting Project", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 16 August 2006, p. C1.
• 67 "Renton 1,Westfield Group 0", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 7 September 2006, p. C2.