Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The period 28 April to 13 May marked Fair Trade Fortnight, which was organised largely by two associations who have been at the forefront of fair trade awareness in our region: the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand and Oxfam Australia. The fair trade movement is based on one simple objective: to ensure a fair deal for farmers, families and communities globally. More than five million farmers, workers and families across 58 developing countries are benefiting from the fair trade system today. This movement is gaining momentum in Australia as Australian consumers embrace the ethical choices that have been presented to them. The number of Australian companies licensed to use the Fair Trade label on fair trade certified products has grown from 26 companies in 2004 to 80 earlier this year. A number of cafes in my electorate use Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate. These include Hudsons Coffee, the Botanic Gardens Kiosk, Cafe Paradiso, the Kitchenhand, A Taste of Jamaica and Azadi Cafe. I commend them all for doing so. Many supermarkets also stock Fair Trade products. I urge all members of this parliament to support the movement towards Fair Trade products in their own electorates and to continue to work for a fair go for the world’s producers.