Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- under fire / ˈʌn.dɚ faɪr / (idiom) – being criticized or punished
Example:The company is under fire because it sold fake products.
- indigenous / ɪnˈdɪdʒ.ə.nəs / (adj) – originating from a specific place
Example:There are laws protecting the rights of indigenous people.
- deceitful / dɪˈsiːt fəl / (adj) – false
Example:Some companies use deceitful advertisements to promote their products.
- authentic / ɑːˈθen.t̬ɪk / (adj) – real; not false or fake
Example:Customers are willing to spend a lot of money on authentic products.
- generate / ˈʤɛnəˌreɪt / (v) – to produce something
Example:The company generated a lot of money from its most successful product.
Article
Read the text below.
A company is under fire for selling fake indigenous artifacts across Australia.
Birubi Art Propriety Limited, a popular Australian souvenir company, sold more than 18,000 artifacts between July 2015 and November 2017. These souvenirs, including boomerangs and didgeridoos /ˌdijərēˈdo͞os /, were supposedly crafted by Aborigines, the indigenous people of Australia. However, real-life Aboriginal artists learned that Birubi’s products were actually produced in Bali, Indonesia. The artists reported the company to the media, who, in turn, reported it to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC).
Selling souvenirs made outside Australia is not a crime unless the sellers state that the products were locally made. Investigators found that some souvenirs from Birubi had deceitful labels, stating that the products were genuinely made in Australia. Because of this, the ACCC filed a case against Birubi and took it to federal court. The court found Birubi guilty and is planning to impose penalties, such as fines, on the souvenir company in the future.
On another note, Birubi is not the only company found guilty of selling fake indigenous Aboriginal artifacts across Australia. Earlier this year, six stores owned by the resort Surfers Paradise were discovered to also sell some fake indigenous Australian souvenirs. These souvenirs were actually made either in Indonesia or China. Another company, Jabiru Boomerangs, has no Aborigines among its staff, but it claims to produce authentic Aboriginal boomerangs. Other companies do the same, and figures show that the industry of selling fake Aboriginal artifacts currently generates millions of dollars for the deceitful companies.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
• Why do you think the companies mentioned above sold fake souvenirs? Discuss.
• What kind of penalty do you think companies that sold fake indigenous souvenirs should face?
Discussion B
• How does false advertising affect the image of a company?
• How can customers be protected from false advertising?
