The “Conservative Action Network” is outraged to learn that GetUp! are writing to members of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, which is about to launch a campaign against the carbon price policy this week, asking them (CAN copy here) whether they support the scare campaign or not – and advising them that GetUp! will be letting its supporters know which companies do, so that they can boycott them.
Or, as CAN put it to their subscribers:
GetUp! is engaging in a campaign to blackmail businesses into dropping their public opposition to the proposed carbon tax. To blackmail legitimate businesses that are doing nothing more than exercising their freedom of speech is simply unacceptable.
BLACKMAILING THEM! Into revealing their public attitude on the subject, so that GetUp! supporters can choose to exercise their freedom to choose which businesses to support!
Outrageous.
Why can’t these businesses hide behind a lobby group and avoid accepting any consequences of their advocacy?
“CANdo” wants its members to know how fundamentally opposed it is to scare campaigns and consumers treating companies differently because of their political views:
What CANyoudo:
…3. If GetUp! does indeed publish a list of businesses that it is boycotting (we’ll let you know if they do) go along to those businesses in your area and support them.
Support them for running a scare campaign against the carbon price.
More “CANdo” lulz to follow, I suspect.
UPDATE (8/7): What a coincidence! “CANdo” whinges, and the Herald Sun runs with it on its front page:
You’ll note that “we’ll boycott you if you support this scare campaign run by an organisation of which you’re a part” has become “we’ll make you pay if you don’t back carbon tax”, in what is now known as “the Herald Sun shuffle”.
Moved On 
Because the grocery council (and the coal industry yesterday) scaring the public with misinformation about jobs, food prices, etc, is not blackmail at all. Give us what we want or we’ll fire some people! Why? Because, that’s why!
I always thought the title “Australian Food and Grocery Council” was deceptive. I wonder how many people mistakenly believe it to be a government body?
Just like the Australian Medical Association…
When rich people get together to lobby, it’s called a “council” and sounds important. When poor people get together, it’s called a “union” and we all hate those.
Poor buggers, life is sure tough.
Go GetUp. I look forward to the outcome; I suspect most companies are controversy sensitive enough (and have very little investment in an anti-carbon tax campaign) that they will simply disavow it. In fact this might even kill the the AFGC campaign in utero.
Nice piece Jeremy. All too often the Conservative Action Network sits in the dark whispering the lines for Liberal MPs to regurgitate. You might like my various posts about CANdo http://alexschlotzer.wordpress.com/?s=CANdo
I am GetUp and I approve this.