Optus offers Sydneysiders a chance to speak up and save the whales during CBD event Monday
Sydneysiders will have a unique chance to voice their intent to end whaling during a special event in the CBD on Monday, 7 June. In a joint partnership with Optus, the World Society for the Protection of Animals is calling on people to drop by a purpose-built sound stage in Martin Place from 6.30am to 2pm and speak into a microphone for the ‘Give Whales a Voice’ campaign.
Created by M&C Saatchi, Sydney, the campaign aims to record every word in the English language (give or take a few) via people visiting www.givewhalesavoice.com.au and the outdoor microphones. WSPA will take these thousands of voices to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting on 21 June in Morocco to articulate Australians’ opposition to whaling.
It is especially important that young people get along to Martin Place to voice their opposition. Generation Y is not as concerned or passionate about the inhumanity of whaling compared to older generations, according to latest research conducted by WSPA.
Although almost all Australians surveyed (93%) support the cause to protect whales, only 35% of the respondents aged 18- 24 are passionate about it and, just as alarmingly, only half (55%) of this age group are concerned about the cruel way whales are being killed.
“We know that Aussies are passionate when it comes to putting an end to whaling, but the younger generation does not appear to be getting the message about this issue,” said WSPA spokesperson Louise Fitzsimons.
“Years of debate about numbers of whales that can be killed, rather than acknowledgement of the fact that whaling is inherently cruel, may have left them feeling frustrated and powerless.
“We have no doubt young Australians would feel more compelled to speak out against whaling if they were made more aware of the extent of cruelty involved when these majestic creatures are hunted and slaughtered,” Fitzsimons continued.
Monday’s event will be fronted by passionate animal welfare campaigner Sami Lukis, the WSPA ambassador for the ‘Give Whales a Voice’ campaign.
“Whales are amongst the loudest beings on the planet but ironically, when it comes to whaling, their voices are not being heard,” Lukis said.
“WSPA has scientifically proven that there is no humane way to kill a whale at sea. Tragically, the most common way to kill a whale is with a penthrite grenade harpoon which is designed to explode when it is in the whale’s body.
“It is critical that Australians speak up and join the fight against whaling now. Decades of progress are under threat due to the proposal that the International Whaling Commission (IWC) will discuss when they meet in Morocco this June. Effectively, the deal will legitimise commercial whaling and destroy the existing whaling ban.”
7 Comments
Wouldn’t a better idea be to stop a few whales on their annual migration along Australia’s east coast, put a microphone in front of their enormous plankton-filtering mouths and get them to record a message in English?
wouldn’t it be better to ask Israel to do something about it given they’re so good at boarding ships?
Or transmit a message only dogs can hear?
I’ve never been to wales.
What about Tom Jones
very literal – It’s a suit idea, no?
This OPTUS ad campaign vilifies cultures who harvest whales for food.
How arrogant and naive to claim to represent all Australia on this issue.
Australia and other pacific nations were built on the wholesale slaughter of whales, for the oil in their heads and blubber, that’s all, the rest left to rot.
Have a look at animal slaughter in your own back yard OPTUS. Your implication is there is no cruelty here in your own culture. I would much rather die a free, hunted whale with a chance to escape, than die a 2 week old calf that has no chance to escape death, just so you can have milk on your cereal. What hypocrites.
OPTUS, your business is to provide telecomunications, not participate in immature, emotional political protests.
So you have succeeded in loosing me as a customer, and my extended family.
You don’t care. So be it.