Vegan protests could be a ‘tipping point’ in Australia’s plant-based future, activists say
K. FOX: The media coverage was quite negative. But there’s going to be a certain percentage of people who are willing to look beyond the headlines, start asking questions and find out why people are doing this, it’s a wake-up call.
BEN GRAHAM: ‘While farmers, pollies and everyday Aussies fired up over the disruption caused by animal rights activists yesterday, history might not be kind to their unwavering loyalty to the meat industry. That’s the view of plant-based food experts who see yesterday’s headline-grabbing vegan antics as a monumental tipping point that could reshape Australia’s future. One of those is Vegan Business Media and the host of Vegan Business Talk podcast, Katrina Fox, who told news.com.au the fiery debate following the protests presents us with an opportunity to become a “leader in alternative proteins and embrace the booming global plant-based economy”.
She said that last year, when Dominion — the film vegans want everybody to watch — was released, there were protests but the media coverage was non-existent. “This year, they decided to just go all-out and the media coverage was everywhere,” Ms Fox said. “And yes, the media coverage was quite negative because the media likes controversy and conflict. “But there’s going to be a certain percentage of people who are willing to look beyond the headlines, start asking questions and find out why people are doing this — it’s a wake-up call.” She admitted it may have stirred some Aussies up the wrong way, but it was a small price to pay.
“Is it a perfect action? No,” Ms Fox said. “But when we look at all social justice movements in the past, none of those have come about as a result of nice, polite activism. There’s disruption and that’s necessary.” As a vegan for 22 years, she never believed she would see a moment — or a “tipping point” as she calls it — when veganism would get so much mainstream attention. However, she said this moment has been brewing for about three to four years, as Australians began embracing plant-based diets at an alarming rate…
It also comes as the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogenic, placing it alongside asbestos and tobacco. As a result, IBISWorld research shows domestic meat consumption has stagnated and is expected to fall over the next five years, reflecting increasing health consciousness among consumers… Ms Fox says all of these points resonate with everyday Australians, but that’s not always reflected by politicians’. SOURCE…
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