What is particularly galling is that smallholders contribute more than 40% of total palm oil production and these smallholders have absolutely nothing to do with orangutan extinction or deforestation. In fact, smallholders in Peninsula Malaysia came into palm oil cultivation by participating in a wildly successful poverty eradication program called FELDA and orangutans do not even exist there!

Melbourne Zoo may feel smug in organizing their signature campaigns against palm oil to promote the Food Amendment Truth in Labeling (Palm Oil) Bill. They may even feel satisfied that the campaign has had the desired effect of attracting donations from the gullible public and corporations like Orange Power who recently pledged A$150,000 for the zoo’s “Don’t Palm Us Off” campaign to help the zoo in their push for the palm oil labeling bill to be passed through the Australian Parliament.

The zoo’s faux pas is that, despite their public pronouncement of empathy for the “plight of the orangutans”, the zoo has never applied for the US$7 Million matching grant provided by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council’s (MPOC) Wildlife Conservation Fund.

In the view of Deforestation Watch, whilst it may be  easy to organize anti-palm oil campaigns, especially when such campaigns continue the gravy train by attracting donors, it may be difficult to put the zoo’s own money where their mouth is, in applying for the matching grant! So much for empathy.

The trouble too is that the House of Representatives Economics Committee having recently heard representations from stakeholders, and being now better informed on the issue had strongly recommended that the Bill be rejected. The Committee noted that the Bill would be ineffective in changing labeling laws. The Committee further observed that such “LEGISLATION WOULD HARM Australia’s international relations, threaten nationally uniform consumer laws and not help stop deforestation.”
See: http://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Policy/New-recommendations-to-stifle-Australia-s-palm-oil-labelling-bill

The Bill has also attracted widespread opposition from all quarters, most recently by the Australian government which said that such a bill would violate Australia’s treaty obligations under the WTO and place additional compliance costs of A$150 million per year on Australian businesses, which would eventually be passed on to consumers.

The CEO of the MPOC, Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron also noted that “that both the majority and minority reports from the Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics made a "considered and well-informed" judgment and have also strongly opposed any trade barriers on misguided environmental grounds.” see: MPOC lauds Aussie palm oil move http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/rup20aa1/Article/#ixzz1Z9Iy5Drx

In the view of Deforestation Watch aka Melbourne Zoo Watch, left unchecked, the Melbourne Zoo’s “Don’t Palm Us Off” campaign will inflict massive economic misery on some of the world's poorest nations. Millions of Asian men and women rely on the jobs and economic growth provided by their export industries. How can it be socially responsible to deny a livelihood to them and their families?
How can Australia not honor its treaty obligations to the WTO and why should the Australian consumer be made to suffer for a clever scheme to line the pockets of the Melbourne Zoo or its administrators? THE END