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Cheers to SodaStream

By adam kamien March 12, 2014, 12:00 am Edit
Member for Melbourne Ports, Michael Danby, will join his Liberal and Greens rivals in a debate on June 22.
Member for Melbourne Ports, Michael Danby, will join his Liberal and Greens rivals in a debate on June 22.

LABOR MPs, staffers and candidates showed their solidarity with SodaStream, when they gathered for a fizzy drink in Canberra last week.

Organised by Jewish MP Michael Danby and Mike Kelly, international affairs advisor to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, the gathering raised a glass to the Israeli company, and its brand ambassador Scarlett Johansson.

Last month Johansson resigned from her longstanding ambassadorship of Oxfam after the international aid organisation openly criticised her decision to endorse SodaStream, which has a factory in the West Bank.

MPs Mark Dreyfus, Bernie Ripoll, David Feeney, Shayne Neumann, Senator Alex Gallacher and Chair of the Israel/Australian friendship group Senator Glen Sterle were all in attendance.

Danby said, “Labor politicians have always been keen to turn up to anti-BDS actions which I have organised, and it’s not just because they have involved excellent Max Brenner chocolates, and now refreshing beverages.

“Labor believes that the best path to peace and security is through dialogue, not by demonising businesses.”

Shadow attorney-general Dreyfus said that while the stunt might appear “light-hearted” there was a “serious point” to be made about the peace process.

“Labor supports a two-state solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians,” he said.

“We support a secure State of Israel living alongside a Palestinian State. And as a part of this Labor opposes the BDS and supports successful companies that employ both Palestinians and Israelis.”

Sterle said the SodaStream factory was a boon for its Palestinian workers.

“How could it possibly help the cause of the Palestinians if 500 of them lost their jobs?

“The Ma’ale Adumim factory brings Israelis and Palestinians together. It’s hard to hate, when you work with each other on an equal basis each day.”

ADAM KAMIEN

Jewish MP Michael Danby

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