Aussie beer brand backflip on campaign for new national parks

Fierce community backlash towards one of Australia’s favourite beer brands has forced them to pause a controversial fundraiser.

A popular Aussie beer brand has backflipped on a plan to fundraise for new national parks by “pausing” a controversial campaign.

Great Northern Brewing Co. recently announced it had partnered with the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, via its Outdoors for a Cause campaign, where it pledged to match any donation up to $200,000 to the charity by customers between January 15 and March 31.

The campaign was focused on raising funds to support the creation of new national parks, however, fierce community backlash to the announcement has forced Great Northern Brewing Co. to halt the campaign and change how funds raised will be used by the charity.

Great Northern Brewing Co. has since deleted a social media post about the new fundraising partnership, while also removing a link to the donation web page from its social media channels.

A screenshot of Great Northern Brewing Co.’s now deleted social post about the Outdoors for a Cause campaign.

“Great Northern’s Outdoors for a Cause campaign was paused yesterday following feedback from our passionate drinkers,” Great Northern marketing head Zac Gelman said in a statement.

“Our donation to the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife will now not be used to buy land to add to national parks. Our donation will instead be used for the preservation of endangered species.

“Whether it’s hiking, fishing, 4-wheel driving or just relaxing, Great Northern drinkers use and preserve their precious spots in the great outdoors and we support them.”

The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife “invest in projects that protect threatened wildlife and habitats, create and grow national parks, and so much more”, according to its website.

The partnership outraged nature enthusiasts online who expressed their concerns about being locked out of bushland due to the tighter rules around camping, and pet and four-wheel drive access.

The controversial campaign comes amid the ongoing debate in Victoria about the creation of the Great Forest National Park.

The potential new national park would mean about 300,000ha of the Central Highlands state forest would be locked up, restricting block hunters, household firewood collectors, prospectors, apiarists, 4WD, horse and trail-bike riders from using the largest area of forest close to Melbourne.

Victorians against the Great Forest National Park media liaison officer Leonie Blackwell commended Great Northern Brewing Co. for changing the terms of their partnership with the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife.

“We love the bush and conservationists love the bush too. We both want to look after our bush for generations to come, but the reality is we have different ideas on how to achieve that,” Ms Blackwell said.

One of Australia’s most popular beer brands has been slammed for partnering with a campaign to create new national parks. Picture: File.

“The challenge we have is when corporations want to look like they are doing the right thing, but they haven’t looked at both sides and dive in too quickly.

“We commend them (Great Northern Brewing Co.) for the decision (to change terms of the fundraiser) and congratulate them for listening to the people.”