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<pre>I received this unsolicited, disjointed diatribe and am at a loss as
to what the intention of the sender was.

It includes some nonsensical accusations of "milking" a Mastro Oleari
for some seemingly nefarious reason, as well as some other pretty
outlandish abuse, all in the name of "cohesion".

Clearly, the author lays claim to representing/being a "small
grower", yet the company of which they are a substantial share holder
proudly says it owns "1.2 million trees under cultivation, stretching
from Western Australia to Southern Queensland, representing
approximately 25 percent of Australia's total olive production and an
on-farm investment of approximately AU$100 million".

As you can also see, the sender thought it wise to send her screed to
several other people, again for reasons unfathomable to me but
perhaps with the intention of damaging me in their eyes.

After replying with request for an apology for this abuse, I was
told " I think we should move on........don't you?"

I believe this is poor behaviour for a director of our national
association to engage in, and suggest we all watch what we say in
this group for fear of this sort of abuse.



==
----- Original Message -----
From: Jayne Bentivoglio
To: Nicholas Andrews
Cc: Damian Conlan ; Pam Colquhoun ; Mauro Martelossi
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 7:34 PM
Subject: Small grower


Dear Nick

What are you trying to achieve with your last email to the Olive
Groups, which consists solely of defamatory remarks and unhelpful,
witless criticisms..............why are you implying small growers
are idiots?
.......because they are not corporate?.........Aren't we advocating
that we are the strength and foundations of the Olive Industry, being
the small grower (up to 10,000 trees), because "we have invested our
own money and therefore we are the people who will uphold the high
standards of the Olive Industry, promoting quality, not quantity!

You have every opportunity to vote for a new board at the next
AGM........but may I remind you, when I asked you to help me with the
organic sub committee, you declined. Are you someone who screams
injustice but will not participate in the growth, development and
restructuring of the Olive Industry. What are you trying to achieve
Nick?

You came to the MOA Dinner last Friday evening, you found out all you
could about Mastri Oleari from Mauro and where do you go from here?
Are you not wanting to now be part of this new 'small grower'
industry promotion??

You claim that you have over 50 years experience in the
industry...........I call on you to prove your boast and rather than
throw defamatory remarks and baseless accusations against those who
are trying their best to help develop the Olive Industry in
Australia, work with the industry!

In my opinion, this negativity smothers any opportunity for cohesive
alliances..........and it is cohesive alliances that the small
growers really need !!

Jayne

===
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