Sunday, March 28, 2010

And That's the Way They See Things

This news article caught my attention.

I thought this comment on the article summed it up nicely - So someone building a $70m hotel-sized house with parking for 17 cars reckons a few tradies eating a meat pie are raping the earth. You couldnt make it up.

The article: Billionaire Oswals declare meat war on the building site

WA'S construction union has hit out at a ban on building workers eating ham sandwiches and meat pies at the Oswals' $70 million Taj-on-Swan mega-mansion.

Tradesmen and labourers working on the Peppermint Grove property have been told by Indian-born billionaire Pankaj Oswal and his socialite wife Radhika, that any food containing meat must not be consumed on the site.

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union WA assistant secretary Joe McDonald said the ban was "absolutely wrong".

"She still wants them to build her $70 million mansion, but she's telling them what they're going to eat . . . it's wrong," he said.

"I respect everybody's right to practise their religion, but I totally disagree with anyone forcing it on others.

"That has caused more wars and destruction throughout the world than anything else I know of.

"If people are working on the job and they want to have a ham sandwich or a bacon and egg sandwich, they should have one."

Workers on the site yesterday said there was one small shed at the bottom of the site which they were allowed to eat meat in.

A source close to the Oswals, who did not want to be named, said some workers had continued to eat meat on the site "just to spite them".

Mr Oswal, who is in New York this week helping Mrs Oswal prepare for the launch of her vegetarian fast-food chain, Otarian, defended the meat ban, saying "This is our home".

Mrs Oswal has previously accused the meat industry of "raping the earth".

"Meat eating is creating bad karma and you are also creating a vicious cycle," she said.

"It's destroying us environmentally, economically and socially. I'm putting my money where my mouth is. I've always been a vegetarian so I have always felt strongly about it.

"First, because of religious reasons, but then later because I realised the greater good associated with it."

Once complete, Perth's Taj-on-Swan mansion will be the biggest home in the country, on the most expensive block of land.

The house, which is expected to be finished at the end of 2011, will have a gymnasium the size of a regular Perth house, a beauty salon, an observatory, parking for 17 cars and a swimming pool 10 times bigger than the average back yard.


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Leaving aside the whole "does eating meat do more damage than building obscenely large houses and flying around the globe in private airplanes" question - it is THEIR house, and if they want to insist that the tradies do not eat meat on their premises I think they have every right.

The tradies have the right to refuse to work there too.

Maybe the Oswals can find some vegetarian tradies to do the work for them?

5 comments:

Old NFO said...

"The tradies have the right to refuse to work there too."

Yep, let them hire veggie construction types... Good luck with THAT!!!

DaddyBear said...

Just goes to show that jerks come from all continents. I suggest that the companies that employ these workers hold a barbecue the day after the work is complete.

Crucis said...

Idiocy abounds. Hypocrisy too, apparently. "Raping the Earth!" Sheesh!

Julie said...

True Jim ... wonder if there are any vegetarian tradies anywhere in the world?

Thanks for stopping by John, i did check out your blog, but i'm really not into notebooks, now if it was guns!

Lol DaddyBear and Crucis people are odd everywhere!

TOTWTYTR said...

Veggie construction workers? That's more rare than liberals making sense or being consistent.

I agree with you Julie. If they don't want meat eating tradies at their earth raping $70 million house, then the tradies should leave. It won't be long before the Asswals, I mean Oswals, come begging for workers to finish their mansion.