Push to boycott Coopers beer ramps up around Australia
MEMBERS of the LGBTI community and their allies are calling for a boycott of Coopers beer after the brewer recently teamed up with Bible Society Australia to create a commemorative beer.
The South Australian brewery, who have been long-time donors to the Bible Society, helped to celebrate the Society鈥檚 200th anniversary with a commemorative beer that featured Bible verses on its cartons.
Accompanying this was a video from the Bible Society featuring Liberal MPs Tim Wilson and Andrew Hastie in which they discussed their opposing positions on marriage equality.
The video is part of the Bible Society鈥檚 Keeping it Light series, which is described as proving 鈥榠t is possible to have a light discussion on the heaviest topics鈥�.
In response to the video, many have expressed outrage in Coopers for sponsoring a religious organisation to make an explicitly political point about same-sex marriage.
People have also criticised the video campaign as promoting the views of members who belong to a party that hasn鈥檛 taken action on marriage equality, and for suggesting people need to 鈥榢eep it light鈥� when it comes to the debate around same-sex marriage.
Coopers have a right to fund LNP & Bible Society, and I have a right to not buy beer with bible verses on it that funds homophobia
— Dr Nobody – Labor are suporting genocide in Gaza (@nick__nobody)
I'm sorry but your personal religious beliefs have NO place in debating and/or restricting to all Australians
— Bobby BeeBob (@BeebobOfficial)
A handful of bars have also vowed to take Coopers beer of their taps.
In a Facebook post from Melbourne gay bar Sircuit, the staff can be seen dumping cartons of the beer into a bin. General Manager Chris wrote that it was his choice to make.
“What Coopers products that were available in Sircuit, have been removed,” he said.
“Actually I threw them out. Sircuit and Mollies, like beer companies, have choices. I have made mine.
“If Coopers wish to discuss, they have my number.”
Newtown Hotel has also made a similar move, replacing Coopers Green on its tap with a freshly kegged batch of Boxer Red Ale from Rocks Brewing Company.
In a Facebook post the bar said that for every pint sold this month it will donate one dollar to GetUp, who help to campaign for the rights of the LGBTI community and are strong advocates for marriage equality.
Coopers have since released two statements in an effort to backtrack what unfolded.
In the , the brewery defended the video.
鈥淭his is a light-hearted but balanced debate about an important topic within Australia,鈥� it read.
鈥淎s a mature community it鈥檚 a debate we need to have but in a good spirited and good natured way.鈥�
However, after further backlash, Coopers released a statement stating the brewery only made the commemorative beer and didn鈥檛 give permission for it to be featured in the Bible Society鈥檚 video.
鈥淲e want you to know that Coopers did not give permission for our beer to feature in or 鈥榮ponsor鈥� the Bible Society鈥檚 Keeping It Light video,鈥� it read.
鈥淥ur family brewery is made up of individuals from a number of different backgrounds, all of whom hold differing views on politics and religion, which we think is reflective of the wider community.”
Despite this, advocates have created a petition calling on Australians to boycott the brewer.
Created by Sydney-based James Brechney, the petition calls on individuals in support of marriage equality to boycott Coopers鈥� products.
鈥淐oopers鈥� recent alignment with the Bible Society, who are openly against marriage equality, is shameful,鈥� Brechney wrote.
鈥淲e call on Coopers Brewery to publicly come out in support of marriage equality and to make three generous donations to Australians for Equality, and Make It Law via PFLAG and just.equal.鈥�
The petition currently has over 1,100 signatures.
