Latest news with #EmmaHakansson
Herald Sun
03-07-2025
- Herald Sun
Tougher checks to pour beers than work with children
Don't miss out on the headlines from Education. Followed categories will be added to My News. Victorians serving cocktails and canapes receive more safety training and testing than nannies, sports coaches and tutors. People trusted to work with children, including childcare workers, are given no training on child safety as part of the only box they have to tick to legally care for kids – completing a Working with Children's Check. Currently, any Victorian who does not have a criminal record and can prove their identity can fill out an online form in under 30 minutes – no testing required. Those pouring beers and serving steaks at the pub, however, are required to undergo up to 10 hours of training and testing on food safety and the responsible service of alcohol. Survivors of childhood sexual abuse, advocates and the opposition are calling for the state government to immediately adopt mandatory training, including on how to identify signs of abuse and potential perpetrators. It comes after disturbing revelations that Victorian childcare worker, Joshua Brown – who had a valid Working with Children's Check – had allegedly sexually assaulted multiple children in his care. Survivor and advocate Emma Hakansson, 25, who has been pressuring governments for years to adopt mandatory child abuse prevention training, said it was 'laughable' that governments considered the current check a key tool. 'The adult who sexually abused me also had a WWCC,' she said. 'No one around was trained to notice the signs and protect me. 'The WWCC could be a tool to arm safe adults with training to keep children safe, and it's absurd we trust adults with children without any training, while training is required to serve alcohol, even to handle food.' Oho chief executive Liv Whitty said a WWCC was simply a 'background check'. 'We need continuous background checks and behavioural reporting with candidate consent to stop unsuitable people reaching the frontlines,' she said. Opposition education spokesman Jess Wilson said mandatory training was a 'no-brainer', noting the opposition had been calling for it for years. The state government is looking at strengthening Working with Children's Checks as part of a review launched in April, and have called for the national system. In February last year, Premier Jacinta Allan dismissed calls – including from party colleague Paul Mercurio – for an overhaul of how Working with Children's Checks are issued, claiming they were already 'rigorous'. 'I know from that experience it … is a rigorous process that sits around the application for working with children check,' she had said. 'There are processes that sit behind that to ensure that people with a history are screened out of being able to receive a working with children's check.' Her comments followed the release of the 'Hear Us Now, Act Now' report, which captured the stories of 339 child sexual abuse victims and survivors, and prompted Mr Mercurio to reveal his wife had been abused by her father as a child. He then stood with victims calling for mandatory training.
Gulf Today
23-06-2025
- Gulf Today
Outrage after cat fur clothing sold in Australia
Clothes made of cat fur were discovered being sold in Victoria despite the Australian government's promise to crack down on the practice, an advocacy group said. An investigation by Collective Fashion Justice and Australia's Animal Justice Party found that children's vests containing cat fur were sold while being labelled as fake fur or sheep wool. Forensic testing revealed the vest sold by fashion brand Suttons UGG was made of domestic cat fur and rabbit fur. However, the vest was labelled as "100 per cent Australian sheepskin or wool". Similarly, two beanies with pom-poms sold at a Queen Victoria market in central Melbourne were found to be falsely labelled as 100 per cent "acrylic". A test by British fibre analysis firm Microtex revealed they were made from fox and raccoon dog fur. The discoveries have led to calls from animal rights groups and the Animal Justice Party for a statewide ban on the sale of all animal fur. The Australian Fashion Council, earlier this year banned the use of fur, wild-animal skins, and wild feathers from runways. "Every Victorian would be shocked to know that they could go to the store and accidentally buy something made from cat fur, when they may have a cat at home themselves," Collective Fashion Justice founder Emma Hakansson said. Suttons UGG, which has retail stores in Sydney and Melbourne, in a statement to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, admitted the label on the vest was "wrong". A spokesperson told the broadcaster they had been informed by the manufacturer that the vest was made from a "kind of special fur", and the company could not "100 per cent confirm" whether that included cat. The Australian government banned the import and export of cat and dog fur in 2004. In 2020, a Consumer Affairs Victoria investigation into the mislabelling of fur products found that every product independently tested by the taskforce was wrongly labelled. Shortly after, fur sellers were issued warnings. Georgie Purcell, the Animal Justice Party MP for Northern Victoria, has called for the sale of fur to be banned. "The message from the community couldn't be clearer - fur is out of fashion. Whether it's cat, dog, rabbit, or fox - the one constant is that it's all cruel," she said. "The time for regulation is done. The only thing left to do is to completely ban fur, just as other jurisdictions around the world have already done." The Independent
New York Post
23-06-2025
- New York Post
Shoppers horrified after learning ‘sheepskin' vest actually made of cats
A children's vest advertised as being '100% Australian sheepskin or wool' has actually been found to contain the fur of two domestic cats, sending shockwaves through Aussie shoppers. The findings were released by fashion advocacy group Collective Fashion Justice, following an investigation by British fiber analysis firm Microtex. The incident has led many to call for a crackdown on the sale of animal fur – with some suggesting it be banned altogether. 'This vest has one cat skin at the front, another cat skin at the back, as well as rabbit fur' Shoppers have been left horrified as a number of fur pieces sold in a Melbourne shopping center have been found to have been mislabeled, with one children's vest in particular containing the fur of two domestic cats. The vest, sold by fashion brand Suttons UGG – not connected to UGG or UGG Since 1974 – was made of domestic cat fur and rabbit fur, despite being labelled as '100% Australian sheepskin or wool'. The tests also found that two beanies purchased from Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market had pompoms containing fox and raccoon dog fur – though they were labelled as being acrylic. According to founder of fashion advocacy group Collective Fashion Justice, Emma Hakansson, this was extremely concerning. 'This vest has one cat skin at the front, another cat skin at the back, as well as rabbit fur,' she said. 3 A children's vest advertised as being '100% Australian sheepskin or wool' has actually been found to contain the fur of domestic cats. Collective Fashion Justice Animal Justice MP for Northern Victoria Georgie Purcell said that the seller responded saying they were told it was a 'special kind' of fur – which was ultimately cat. 'Consumers could be out there, buying this, and then going out wearing domestic cats,' she said. Queen Victoria Market said it was 'unaware of mislabeled fur items' being sold at the market. 'We do not condone the sale of any goods of this nature and work with traders and relevant authorities to resolve specific situations when they are brought to our attention,' a QVM spokesperson told the ABC. 3 'I took this fur vest to a meeting with the Minister for Consumer Affairs, and shamefully, it is not the first time that the Animal Justice Party has brought the issue of cat fur being sold in Melbourne,' Purcell said. Collective Fashion Justice 'We don't want reform' According to Hakansson, while this may be a new concern, this issue has been going on for years, citing numerous occasions where fur has been mislabelled illegally since their investigation began in 2021. In 2020, Consumer Affairs Victoria also launched an investigation into the mislabelling of fur products, which found every product independently tested by the taskforce was wrongly labelled. 'People have a right to know what they're buying, and to be able to shop in alignment with their values,' she said. 'Every single time we have sent fur for testing the lab has confirmed it was illegally mislabelled and this has been true for years now.' 3 A number of fur pieces sold in a Melbourne shopping center have been found to have been mislabeled. Instagram / @collectivefashionjustice Ultimately, the two confirmed they were calling for an overarching ban on the selling of fur in Australia – with the issue well past a need for reform. 'I took this fur vest to a meeting with the Minister for Consumer Affairs, and shamefully, it is not the first time that the Animal Justice Party has brought the issue of cat fur being sold in Melbourne,' Purcell said. 'They need to get their shit together and work out who is responsible in order to address this issue. 'We don't want reform. We know that all fur is cruel, whether it comes from a fox, a rabbit, a raccoon dog, a dog or a cat.'
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Time of India
Cat fur found in kids' vest sold as '100% sheepskin' in Australia; forensic tests expose mislabeled items; sparks outrage
This is a representative AI image A children's vest sold as "100 per cent Australian sheepskin or wool" has turned out to be actually made from domestic cat and rabbit fur, setting off alarm bells among animal rights groups calling for a statewide ban. The shocking discovery was confirmed through forensic testing by UK-based fibre analysis firm Microtex, which revealed that the vest, sold by fashion brand Suttons UGG at a Melbourne shopping centre—was actually made using the fur of domestic cats and rabbits, as per reports. The investigation, led by advocacy group Collective Fashion Justice in collaboration with the Animal Justice Party, also uncovered two beanies with pom-poms being sold at Queen Victoria Market, which were falsely labelled as 100% acrylic. Testing revealed they contained fox and raccoon dog fur. The findings have prompted animal welfare organisations and the Animal Justice Party to demand a complete prohibition on fur sales across the state. "Every Victorian would be shocked to know that they could go to the store and accidentally buy something made from cat fur, when they may have a cat at home themselves," Collective Fashion Justice founder Emma Hakansson said. In a statement to the ABC, Suttons UGG, which operates retail stores in Sydney and Melbourne, admitted the label on the vest was "wrong." A spokesperson said the manufacturer had described the material as a "kind of special fur," but the company could not "100 per cent confirm" whether it included cat fur. Earlier this year, the Australian Fashion Council implemented restrictions, prohibiting fur, wild-animal skins, and wild feathers from fashion shows. In 2004, the Australian government enacted legislation prohibiting cat and dog fur imports and exports. A Consumer Affairs Victoria study in 2020 examining fur product labelling revealed inaccuracies in all independently tested items. Following these findings, warnings were issued to fur retailers. According to Sky News, Georgie Purcell, the Animal Justice Party MP representing Northern Victoria, has requested authorities to implement a complete ban on fur sales saying, "Consumers could be out there buying this, and then going out and wearing domestic cats."
Herald Sun
20-06-2025
- Herald Sun
Horror as 'sheepskin' children's vest found to be made of cat and rabbit fur
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. A children's vest advertised as being '100% Australian sheepskin or wool' has actually been found to contain the fur of two domestic cats, sending shockwaves through Aussie shoppers. The findings were released by fashion advocacy group Collective Fashion Justice, following an investigation by British fibre analysis firm Microtex. The incident has led many to call for a crackdown on the sale of animal fur - with some suggesting it be banned altogether. Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. RELATED: I tried the viral Tokyo Headspa to see if it's worth it 'This vest has one cat skin at the front, another cat skin at the back, as well as rabbit fur' Shoppers have been left horrified as a number of fur pieces sold in a Melbourne shopping centre have been found to have been mislabelled, with one children's vest in particular containing the fur of two domestic cats. The vest, sold by fashion brand Suttons UGG - not connected to UGG or UGG Since 1974 - was made of domestic cat fur and rabbit fur, despite being labelled as '100% Australian sheepskin or wool'. The tests also found that two beanies purchased from Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market had pompoms containing fox and raccoon dog fur - though they were labelled as being acrylic. According to founder of fashion advocacy group Collective Fashion Justice, Emma Hakansson, this was extremely concerning. 'This vest has one cat skin at the front, another cat skin at the back, as well as rabbit fur,' she said. Animal Justice MP for Northern Victoria Georgie Purcell said that the seller responded saying they were told it was a 'special kind' of fur - which was ultimately cat. "Consumers could be out there, buying this, and then going out wearing domestic cats," she said. Queen Victoria Market said it was "unaware of mislabelled fur items" being sold at the market. "We do not condone the sale of any goods of this nature and work with traders and relevant authorities to resolve specific situations when they are brought to our attention," a QVM spokesperson told the ABC. 'We don't want reform' According to Hakansson, while this may be a new concern, this issue has been going on for years, citing numerous occasions where fur has been mislabelled illegally since their investigation began in 2021. In 2020, Consumer Affairs Victoria also launched an investigation into the mislabelling of fur products, which found every product independently tested by the taskforce was wrongly labelled. 'People have a right to know what they're buying, and to be able to shop in alignment with their values,' she said. 'Every single time we have sent fur for testing the lab has confirmed it was illegally mislabelled and this has been true for years now.' Ultimately, the two confirmed they were calling for an overarching ban on the selling of fur in Australia - with the issue well past a need for reform. 'I took this fur vest to a meeting with the Minister for Consumer Affairs, and shamefully, it is not the first time that the Animal Justice Party has brought the issue of cat fur being sold in Melbourne,' Purcell said. 'They need to get their shit together and work out who is responsible in order to address this issue. 'We don't want reform. We know that all fur is cruel, whether it comes from a fox, a rabbit, a raccoon dog, a dog or a cat.' Originally published as Horror as shoppers learn what 'sheepskin' vests are made of
