On 24 November State and Federal Ministers will meet to discuss if Australians like you deserve the right to know what is in the food we buy.
Right now palm oil is a hidden ingredient.
Misleading labelling laws in Australia mean that conflict palm oil can simply be passed off as 'vegetable oil'.
Victoria is currently the only state or territory that has publicly committed to changing this, by requiring correct labelling of all oils in supermarket products.
This is our opportunity to make sure the rest of Australia catches up but we need your voice to do it. Calling through this tool is free, will only take a few minutes, and is extremely powerful. Let's make sure our Ministers listen to us and not lobbyists from the grocery industry.
NOTE: If you're in Victoria, we'll connect you to the Federal Assistant Minister for Health, David Gillespie, as Victoria has already committed to mandatory labelling of palm oil.
The best times to call are between Mon to Fri 9am - 5pm in your state. Make sure you select your state in the drop down menu below!
What do I say?
Calls to decision-makers are best when they're personal, so tell the Minister from your point of view why you support mandatory labelling of palm oil. You don't have to be an expert!
If you need some pointers, here are a few good things to mention:
- Many consumers don’t realise that when they see vegetable oil on a food label, that the product could contain palm oil.
- Mandatory labelling of palm oil means that we know exactly what’s in our food and that we can make informed choices about our health.
- Over half of all supermarket products contain palm oil and you can't tell whether it is from sustainable or unsustainable source. You have the right to know if the products you are buying are contributing to rainforest destruction.
Tips
- Be friendly and polite - the person picking up the phone will find it hard to ignore you if you are polite.
- Don’t feel like you have to answer any specific questions if you don’t feel comfortable.
FAQs
What if the Minister is not available?
Ask to have your message passed on.
What if they ask who asked me to call?
Tell the person that you’re a member of a global organisation called SumOfUs (with hundreds of thousands of members across Australia), which runs campaigns to keep corporations accountable. Tell them you’re calling as someone who is concerned about the mandatory palm oil labelling decision.
What if they ask me if the minister is my MP?
Tell the person where you are from. Even if you’re not specifically in their electorate, they're still the Minister representing your state.
Do I have to be an expert to call and express my concerns?
No! But if you do want more guidance, check out the Don't Palm Us Of website here - it’s great! There's lots of useful research and background information.
What if the person asks me a question I can’t answer?
It’s ok to say you don’t know. Or you might want to say that you will research the answer and contact them back with more information.
What if I’m not connected?
The line may be busy - sorry about that. Please do try calling again during business hours.
Will I be charged for the call?
No, calling via this page is free.