Thanks for the reminder on our forum policies @PhilT. We don’t mind a discussion or a debate, but no personal attacks please.
@bottville’s point is correct in that CHOICE is not a political organisation in the sense that we do not carry out activity based on any preference to the scope of the political spectrum. Rest assured, consumers are the only motivation for CHOICE and not political agendas.
As noted, our work can and does happen at a political level. Whenever we meet with a political representative, we endeavor to convene with their shadow and other relevant stakeholders to ensure we uphold our standards of independence and also because in some cases we’re seeking bipartisan support anyway.
Unfortunately, some issues like climate change have become linked to political agendas. We appreciate going carbon neutral may evoke these agenda concerns to some people, but rest assured our decision to take this approach is not a political statement nor was it designed to elicit such responses. We are operating on simple tenets that have served our organisation for many decades, including following scientific evidence and prioritising our funds to better serve our core purpose.
Scientific evidence can change, people can disagree with it (from conscientious objectors to conspiracy theorists), and there are media, political and personal interests that can disrupt the process of getting things right. However, as an organisation, we typically preference scientific consensus, especially when it comes from so many reputable organisations and experts, even if that means some people disagree with us. In this case, we hope the fact that we’re saving money speaks to our purpose and to our detractor’s reasoning.
Still, some would no doubt argue that any discussion on climate change is inextricably tied to an agenda and therefore makes a statement. From our point of view, this broad definition encompasses almost every issue we take on to lesser and greater degrees. If we’re against added sugar, we must be totally against the food manufacturing industry or the agriculture sector. This is, of course, not the case but people will feel this way regardless of our intentions.
Apologies for the long-winded reply, but we take all member feedback very seriously and so I wanted to clarify some of the items being raised. One final point, this is a forum where individuals including CHOICE staff can post their personal thoughts, views and experiences. While we do generally like to keep things on consumer issues, occasionally there is a crossover with other issues, politics and items of national interest.
Within that framework, anyone can post just about any idea and for the record not everything that is written here is copied from, or written into, our organisational constitution. We welcome our supporters and followers to share their opinions in this forum too.
