Climate 200 and Simon Holmes a Court accused of ‘bullying’ after legal notice to campaign group Australians for Prosperity
Climate 200 is facing allegations of attempting to stifle political advertisements ahead of the federal election after issuing a legal notice to an ‘astroturf’ campaign group led by a former Liberal MP.
Climate 200 is facing allegations of “bullying” and attempts to stifle political advertisements ahead of the federal election after issuing a legal notice to an “astroturf” campaign group led by a former Liberal MP.
A legal stoush between former Liberal MP Julian Simmonds’ Australians for Prosperity (A4P) campaigning group and political activist and Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes a Court has been ignited following a “dirty campaign” targeting teal MPs Monique Ryan and Allegra Spender.
A4P launched its summer campaign on Boxing Day, accusing the Greens and teals of being out of touch with voter frustrations during a cost-of-living crisis. The campaign targets electorates in Queensland, NSW and Victoria focusing on families and mortgage holders facing rising costs.
A copyright infringement notice issued by legal firm Ripple was sent to Mr Simmonds on behalf of its client, Climate 200, raising concerns the advertisements used by A4P were using a doctored Climate 200 logo on signs and billboards in public spaces. Advertisements allegedly used a greyscale reproduction of the Climate 200 logo without consent.
“Versions of the signs are presently located at least in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne. The signs have been authorised by you on behalf of Australians for Prosperity (A4P),” the letter obtained by The Australian states. “Neither you nor A4P have the right to use or authorise the use of the C200 logo. We have been instructed that C200 has not granted either of you a licence in respect of the copyright in the C200 logo nor any consent to use the C200 logo.”
The letter further alleged that reproduction of the logo constitutes a deliberate copyright infringement under the Copyright Act, saying the act was indefensible. “In any event, by this letter you and A4P are now formally on notice of our client’s ownership of copyright in the C200 logo that is infringed by the reproduction of the C200 logo on the signs.”
“Whilst it is for the infringer of copyright to establish any defences under the Copyright Act, it is difficult to see how the infringement could be legally justified,” the letter said.
Responding to the legal threat, Mr Simmonds accused Mr Holmes a Court “and his shadowy millionaire donors” of bankrolling teal MPs and trying to cover up their higher tax agendas. “Those behind Climate 200 have a long history of bullying their critics with legal action,” he said. “We do understand they hate their MPs being identified as tax hikers, so they should rule out an increase to the GST, capital gains on the family home and energy bills.
“They are trying to censor ads rather than tell voters why they want to raise taxes during a cost-of-living crisis. Simon Holmes a Court and his shadowy millionaire donors are bankrolling teal MPs and trying to cover up their higher taxes agenda.”
Mr Holmes a Court blasted the use of political advertisements by the campaign group in a social media post last week, claiming they were “complete with misinformation”.
“This week the coal industry launched a dirty campaign against the independents through an ‘astroturf’ group: ‘australians for progress’,” he said. “Using classic negative ad styling – complete with misinformation – billboards went up in monique ryan’s & allegra spender’s electorates.”
“The only funding A4P has ever declared is $725,000 from “coal australia … received before QLD’s state election, helping to hand the LNP a win, and roll back the state’s coal royalties & climate policies.”
A Climate 200 spokesperson said: “It’s a bit rich for this cashed-up Liberal party front group, funded by the coal lobby, to launch a national campaign of lies about the community independents and then wail about intimidation.”
Ms Spender hit back at the campaign that has plastered the teal MP’s NSW Wentworth electorate with ads saying she wants to raise taxes, labelling the claims as smear campaigns and calling for truth in political advertising laws.
“It’s disappointing but not surprising to see this kind of misinformation spread by Liberal Party associates and their backers in the coal industry – and it shows exactly why we need truth in political advertising laws,” she said on Tuesday.
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