By Jed Lanyon
Intensifying trade tension between Australia and China has seen angry customers direct “vulgar” abuse at Yarra Valley wineries, vowing to boycott those that are Chinese owned.
Some Yarra Valley wineries were ‘outed’ for being Chinese owned in viral social media posts, leading to abusive phone calls and aggressive customer behaviour.
It comes after the Chinese Government placed tariffs ranging between 107 and 212 per cent on Australian wine labelling the move as a temporary anti-dumping measure to stop subsidised imports of Australian wine.
The ongoing trade bickering stems from the Federal Government’s call for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus.
Star Mail reported on how the trade uncertainties had caused Chinese based suppliers to pull the pin on regular wine shipments from Yarra Valley wineries, but now it’s impacting staff who are just trying to do their jobs.
One Yarra Valley winery has been singled out as one of many in the region with Chinese owners. The venue manager (who wished to remain anonymous) spoke to Star Mail about the abuse she and her staff had endured.
“I’m all for people having their opinion and supporting Aussie made products, but the vulgar abuse that has been directed at me and my staff is disgusting,” she said.
The winery had received numerous emails and phone calls, some from customers simply asking the question about whether the venue is Chinese owned, while others being vile and aggressive.
“The owner here is an Australian resident. His kids were born here, they go to school here.”
As the manager attempted to de-escalate one call, she said she was called a “Chinese loving c***” and was told to “F*** off to China and live there”.
“I probably got a little bit heated as well. I’d like to think I was calm through most of the phone call, I said ‘sorry that you are a racist bigot, have a nice day’ and I hung up the phone.”
The same caller, who used a private number to harass the winery, then claimed she would “tie up” the business’ phone line and then repeatedly called the venue for 45 minutes.
Another staff member answered the phone to be called an ‘immigrant slut’.
“This young girl is 22, she’s just trying to go about her job to pay her rent … Every single staff member I have here, they reside between Mount Evelyn and Healesville.
“It sucks, It’s painful to watch my staff go through it because it’s impacting their lives.”
The manager said she feared the next step would see the cellar door graffitied.
She said that most of the emails had come from past customers who admitted they loved the experience at the winery but once they found out the business was ‘Chinese owned’ threatened to never return.
“I don’t understand when people think they can go about doing something this way, to serve and better the community. If everybody boycotts us, I would have to get rid of six staff members. That’s six local jobs for six local families, who would now be facing unemployment.”
The winery manager said a number of Yarra Valley wineries were Chinese owned and noted that others owned by families of Italian and American heritage weren’t experiencing any aggression.
“I don’t understand why it needs to fall on the little people. We’re not there trying to create a trade war, we’re just trying to go to work.”
