Capilano Honey, which is now majority-owned and controlled by Chinese companies and investors, is suing journalist Shane Dowling so they can continue to sell their fake honey in Australia. The hearing is scheduled to start Monday (25-5-20) and run for three days until Wednesday (27-5-20).
The matter has been going since October 2016 and without a doubt, Chinese companies will see it as a test case to see if they can use Australian courts to give them the green light to continue their involvement in global food fraud and possibly other crimes. Most countries, including Australia, are involved in food fraud in one way or another, not just China.
But China is the largest honey producer in the world and is also regarded as the global leader in selling fake honey and claims Capilano Honey has also been involved in honey fraud have been around for years.
Capilano Honey’s case is scandalous and a blatant SLAPP lawsuit
When Capilano and their then CEO Ben McKee first started suing me in October 2016, because I wrote about them suing beekeeper Simon Mulvany, they were listed on the Australian stock market with Channel 7 owner Kerry Stokes as their largest shareholder. The key point is that Channel Seven’s Today Tonight program broadcast unchallenged claims that in 2008 and 2011 that Capilano Honey was selling polluted and poisonous honey. (Click here to read more and watch the Channel 7 stories)
Seven’s Today Tonight were referred to by the NSW Supreme Court and Court of Appeal when they lifted the dodgy suppression orders against me in 2018 and Capilano have never denied the allegations nor did they ever sue Seven for defamation.
In September 2018 Australian media which included the SMH, ABC, News Corp, SBS and many others all published stories alleging Capilano Honey were selling fake honey via their Allowrie branded honey after horticulturalist Robert Costa had the honey tested in Germany.
Capilano honey said the type of testing used, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), was not accurate but the ABC reported on the 3rd of September 2018 that a few months earlier:
“Leaked emails from the local peak industry group, the Australian Bee Industry Council (AHBIC), of which Capilano is a financial member and has board representation, show it wrote to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in July (2018) requesting it review the way it tests honey, ditching the old C4 test and moving to NMR.” (Click here to read more)
Capilano’s CEO Ben McKee did another backflip a few days later and on the 5th of September 2018 was telling the media that Capilano honey “now wants to fund a lab to carry out the tests in Australia” using NMR testing. (Click here to read more)
A few months later in January 2019 Capilano Honey announced it would stop selling Allowrie honey. With all the bad press obviously no one was buying it and Coles had already stopped selling imported honey in July 2018.
If Capilano Honey, the company is now known as Hive and Wellness Australia, really believed that the testing that Robert Costa had done was wrong why didn’t they sue him and all the media for defamation and/or injurious falsehood? Why didn’t they sue Seven? That’s a question Ben McKee will need to answer in the witness stand under oath next week.
I won’t say too much more about the case as I don’t want to pre-warn them. But why are they suing the likes of myself, and previously Simon Mulvany, but refusing to sue large media companies or wealthy farmers like Robert Costa?
Judges for sale
I’m now in Queensland and so is Capilano Honey and Ben McKee so the matter should have been transferred to the Supreme Court of Queensland, but the greedy corrupt NSW judges have so far refused to do so. I recorded the dodgy Justice John Sackar acting as Capilano Honey’s counsel in February refusing to transfer the matter. (Click here to read more or listen to the recording) Justice John Sackar wouldn’t give reasons and didn’t publish a judgement which is about as corrupt as it gets.
I’ll do a follow-up article next week to let you know how the court case went. If you would like to help in the battle with Capilano please read below and share this article.
Please use Twitter, Facebook, email and the other buttons below and help promote this article.
Kangaroo Court of Australia is an independent website and is reliant on donations to keep publishing so please click on the Patreon button below and support independent journalism.
If you would like to support via PayPal use the button below or for other donation options click here to go to the Donations page.
Thank you for your support.
For the KCA t-shirt shop click here.
Categories: Capilano Honey, Channel 7, Kerry Stokes, Seven West Media
Good luck…the people are with YOU! Not the Chinese poisoners and their Australian cohorts 🥴😖😢
Vast majority of Judges are corrupt ; the reason is those with the money can buy their relations so all is at arms length, that is the same the world over xcept for China, if they are caught they are shot. Politicians at all levels are also lacking in honesty. We need one term Politicians. No way would they enact laws that would affect them at the end of their term
Good luck. Thank you for shedding light on murky (honey) waters
Best of luck! This country is a mess !
Give them what they deserve. You’ve got a lot of support behind you. We need to be done with the Chinese, messing with our food!!
Get on board people. Boycott this rubbish!
Good luck this week You’ll need it.
When ever I am in a super market and notice anyone looking to buy honey, I explain to them why they should consider a brand other than Capilano, give them your web site details, then leave them to make up their mind.
I only buy Byron Bay honey and hope it is Australian owned and stays that way.The large producers have always diluted their honey with rubbish.
Attack from every angle, continuously, even on Facebook a site, Make The Swap to Australian products have already been made aware of Allowrie/Capilano honey which comes from China.
Good luck and keep up the good work.
What time is the court case?
I NEED to be there as well as many other people as possible to let judges know people are supporting and a actions by them will be noted.
Lets all turn up at court an d fill the court room to overflowing
Starts at 10.15am in the NSW Supreme Court. It will be done on video and I’ll be in Queensland. I’m not sure if people are allowed in court
Why would the subjects of the Queen, her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the 2nd under the Commonwealth be not allowed to enter their Court.? If l was in NSW l would be there 100%. Unfortunately l am in VIC. Where is the Law that states that we are not allowed ? Keep up the great work. We need to unite and support each other in all ways possible. Stand strong together.
Best of luck, thank you for your fearless reporting.
Good luck in court, you have a lot of support
I have not bought ANY honey from the supermarkets for years. I get my honey from bee-keepers and from farmers markets. Regards Lilo S.
I lived a long time in Japan. I was continually warned by friends not to buy foodstuffs from China – vegetables, garlic especially – and from the cheaper fami-res (family restaurants) and konbini (Convenience stores) prepared foods involving rice which had been made in China and pumped full of preservatives to make them last as “fresh”. I do not doubt your stories of Capilano/Wellness fouling of OZ-honey with false so-called Chinese honey. Good luck to you for all of us in this battle for Australian honey.
Best wishes.I have stopped buying Capilano honey, since I first heard of your report.
As a small bee keeper, I wish you the best of luck with your battle. The best thing the community can do is not buy their honey from chain stores. Find your local beekeeper and buy authentic local honey. You’ll appreciate the difference