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Stoush brewing over political party’s swan logo

EXCLUSIVE, Dylan CapornThe West Australian
Bevy Brewing’s black swan logo.
Camera IconBevy Brewing’s black swan logo. Credit: Clarissa Phillips

A fight is brewing between one of Australia’s biggest beer companies and a new WA political party over the use of a black swan logo.

Lion Beer filed a complaint against the Western Australian Party’s proposed swan logo, arguing it was too similar to the company’s logo for its Bevy Brewing Company, the micro-brewery at The Camfield next to Optus Stadium.

The political party logo is a sole black swan facing left. The brewery’s logo includes its name underneath three swans facing right.

In a letter to the Australian Electoral Commission, Lion Beer Australia general counsel Richard Ballinger said the proposed party logo should be rejected because it “so nearly resembles the Bevy Brewing Logo that it is likely to be confused with or mistaken for the ... logo”.

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The registration of party logos is used for the icons displayed next to each candidate or group of candidates on Federal ballot papers.

Western Australia Party leader Julie Matheson said the objection did not pass the pub test.

“It’s crazy,” she said. “I don’t know why they want to spend their time and their money to object to our logo.

“We have a single swan as our logo for the ballot paper. The rules are you have to have something simple and easily printed because the ballot paper for the Senate is really large.

“We are a WA party, they’re based in NSW, what are they doing interfering with the process with a West Australian party?”

The WA Party’s logo.
Camera IconThe WA Party’s logo. Credit: Supplied

In the party’s response to the commission, Ms Matheson argued the black swan was used in several logos in WA, including Swan Draught, the Black Swan Theatre Company and the WA flag.

The party has hit several hurdles since applying for Federal registration in January.

Ms Matheson said the beer giant’s objection would delay the process further.

In its letter dated June 27, Mr Ballinger argued Lion Group owned the registered trademark rights for the logo, which had only been registered on June 26, 11 days after the political party’s logo was advertised for objections.

“It’s a bit mischievous I feel because our logo looks nothing like their logo,” Ms Matheson said.

VideoIt's been months in the making, but Bevy Brewing Co. is finally about to brew its first limited release seasonal beer.

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