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Govt critical of Ben & Jerry’s support the reef campaign

Sarah Stowe

Ben & Jerry’s has teamed up with WWF to raise awareness about the importance of protecting Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and the Queensland government isn’t happy about it. 

The ice cream franchise is travelling across the country and handing out free ice creams as part of its ‘Scoop Ice Cream, Not The Reef’ campaign, which seeks to educate Australians about the risks the Reef faces following the government’s decision to allow for three million cubic metres of dredge spoil to be dumped there.

According to the Ben & Jerry’s website, the risks brought on by the decision could include intensive dredging, mega ports and shipping highways.

Environment Minister Andrew Powell is urging Australians to boycott the campaign on the grounds that it’s damaged the reputation of the Reef and jeopardised jobs and tourism to the World Heritage listed area.

“Another company has signed up to the campaign of lies and deceit that’s been propagated by WWF,” Powell said.

“The only people taking a scoop out of the reef is Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever.

“If you understand the facts, you’d want to be boycotting Ben & Jerry’s,” he added, reports News.com.au.

Powell said he would write to Ben & Jerry’s parent company, Unilever to express his concerns about the campaign.

Ben & Jerry’s Australian brand manager, Kalli Swaik reaffirmed the company’s stance on the issue. “Ben & Jerry’s believes that dredging and dumping in world heritage waters surrounding the marine park area will be detrimental to the reef ecology.

“It threatens the health of one of Australia’s most iconic treasures,” added Swaik.

Ben & Jerry’s has also opted to remove its Phish Food ice cream flavour due to its allusion to consuming fish as food.

According to The Courier Mail, WWF’s CEO Dermot O’Gorman said Ben & Jerry’s involvement highlights the state of the reef is a concern for people worldwide.

“Ben & Jerry’s’ tour is a timely reminder that the world expects the Queensland and Australian governments to lift their game,” he said.