Australia: British American Tobacco accused of document shredding

A News item from Business Respect, Issue Number 28, dated 20 Apr 2002

British American tobacco has been accused of shredding documents in an international plot to deny justice to smokers. The courts have ordered that the company's Australian firm pay a terminally ill cancer patient Au$710,000 compensation as a result.

"The primary purpose of the development of the new policy in 1985 and subsequently was to provide a means of destroying damaging documents under the cover of an apparently innocent housekeeping arrangement," Judge Geoffrey Eames ruled. He ordered that the company's defence be struck out, and instructed the jury to award damages.

The patient, Mrs McCabe, is the first Australian smoker to successfully sue an international tobacco company. The case could now lead to a major class action suit on behalf of other victims.

British American Tobacco has defended itself, saying it has broken no laws. It is appealing the suit, and drew attention to the fact that three similar suits in Australia against tobacco companies have failed.

The possibilities for the case to have wider ramifications were underlined when the US department of justice asked to see evidence of the company's destruction programme.

Article source: Ananova / NY Times / Guardian

Send this article to a friend

Bookmark with:

 Del.icio.us |  Digg |  reddit |  Facebook |  StumbleUpon

Related stories

US: Light cigarette suit can go ahead
- 16 Dec 2008
British American Tobacco under fire for practices in Africa
- 29 Jun 2008
Nigeria: British American Tobacco faces accusations of targeting the young
- 7 Jul 2007
US: Tobacco firms lose lawsuit on fraud
- 18 Aug 2006
Kenya: Tobacco advertising under fire
- 25 Jul 2005
US: Tobacco lawsuit requested penalty slashed
- 8 Jun 2005
Canada: Imperial Tobacco accused of involvement in smuggling
- 17 Dec 2004
British American Tobacco gives up on Burma
- 6 Nov 2003
South Africa: BAT donation controversy for Cape Town University
- 13 Sep 2003
British American Tobacco 'frustration' at Burma calls
- 30 Jul 2003
Australia: Government to intervene in British American Tobacco case
- 24 Jul 2003
British American Tobacco pressured to withdraw from Uzbekistan
- 13 Jul 2003
Cigarette Company Documents Outline Strategy to Derail Global Tobacco Treaty
- 16 May 2003
British American Tobacco pressed over Burma
- 16 Apr 2003
British American Tobacco under human rights pressure
- 6 Mar 2003
Pakistan Tobacco stuns critics with advertising ban
- 11 Jan 2003
Australia: BAT firms cleared in document shredding case
- 12 Dec 2002
South Africa: KPMG survey shows reporting becoming mainstream
- 1 Dec 2002
British American Tobacco defends Burma role
- 13 Nov 2002
Tobacco industry faces nightmare lawsuit
- 20 Sep 2002
Tobacco companies raise responsibility profile
- 30 Jun 2002
British American Tobacco pursuing the dream of low-risk tobacco
- 4 May 2002
Uganda: BATU committed to stopping underage smoking
- 6 Apr 2002
South Africa: WHO attacks 'lying tobacco company'
- 9 Mar 2002
BAT to reduce profits in crack down on smuggling
- 15 Dec 2001
Philip Morris aims for ethical makeover
- 14 Jul 2001
More protests hit university tobacco funding for CSR department
- 30 Jun 2001

Explore Business Respect news database