OldDog/NewTricks
Well-known member
From:
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 9:57 AM
To:
Subject: clever little animal rightist..
October 04, 2007
A FEDERAL Court judge has dismissed a $500,000 civil action by two companies against an animal rights activist who contaminated sheep feed to protest against the live export of animals.
Rural Export and Trading (WA) and Samex Australia Meat Company lodged the claim against Ralph Hahnheuser over an incident in November 2003, when he placed shredded ham in sheep feed at feedlots in Portland, Victoria.
Mr Hahnheuser, a former Animal Liberation activist, claimed he acted to make the sheep unacceptable to Muslim consumers and prevent their live export to the Middle East.
The companies claimed Mr Hahnheuser's actions contravened the Trade Practices Act and hindered or prevented them from engaging in their trade or commerce.
Justice Peter Gray today found Mr Hahnheuser did not contravene the Trade Practices Act and dismissed the action.
He found Mr Hahnheuser engaged in the relevant activities with the
dominant purpose related to environmental protection and his conduct was not industrial action.
About 70,000 sheep set for export were delayed by two weeks at the
Portland feedlot, and another 1800 were not exported because of the feed contamination.
The Geelong County Court acquitted Mr Hahnheuser in May 2005 of a criminal charge of contaminating feed to cause economic loss.
At the Federal Court trial, the exporters' lawyer, Chris Northrop, told
the court the contamination cost his clients $400,000 for additional
feeding, $9000 for additional berthing, $2500 for additional supervision and a loss on the $1800 contaminated sheep of $74,000.
Mr Hahnheuser did not appear at the proceedings or play a role in the trial.
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 9:57 AM
To:
Subject: clever little animal rightist..
October 04, 2007
A FEDERAL Court judge has dismissed a $500,000 civil action by two companies against an animal rights activist who contaminated sheep feed to protest against the live export of animals.
Rural Export and Trading (WA) and Samex Australia Meat Company lodged the claim against Ralph Hahnheuser over an incident in November 2003, when he placed shredded ham in sheep feed at feedlots in Portland, Victoria.
Mr Hahnheuser, a former Animal Liberation activist, claimed he acted to make the sheep unacceptable to Muslim consumers and prevent their live export to the Middle East.
The companies claimed Mr Hahnheuser's actions contravened the Trade Practices Act and hindered or prevented them from engaging in their trade or commerce.
Justice Peter Gray today found Mr Hahnheuser did not contravene the Trade Practices Act and dismissed the action.
He found Mr Hahnheuser engaged in the relevant activities with the
dominant purpose related to environmental protection and his conduct was not industrial action.
About 70,000 sheep set for export were delayed by two weeks at the
Portland feedlot, and another 1800 were not exported because of the feed contamination.
The Geelong County Court acquitted Mr Hahnheuser in May 2005 of a criminal charge of contaminating feed to cause economic loss.
At the Federal Court trial, the exporters' lawyer, Chris Northrop, told
the court the contamination cost his clients $400,000 for additional
feeding, $9000 for additional berthing, $2500 for additional supervision and a loss on the $1800 contaminated sheep of $74,000.
Mr Hahnheuser did not appear at the proceedings or play a role in the trial.