Australia

'Battered Wife' fish shop to close after backlash in Australia

January 23, 2019 4:01 pm

The fish and chip shop has been the subject of months of controversy [Source: BBC]

The owner of an Australian fish and chip shop called The Battered Wife says she has been forced out of business following an “abusive witch hunt” by people unhappy with its name.

Carolyn Kerr defended the name last year, saying the shop in Queensland raised awareness about family violence.

But it has drawn months of controversy, with state lawmakers and others arguing the name trivialises abuse.

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Ms Kerr said she could not afford a looming audit by an industry watchdog.

It had been prompted by an “anonymous complaint” about staff wages, she said. The shop in the town of Innisfail has been open since 2017.

She added that unidentified critics of the shop had “threatened to throw bricks through my window”, and made complaints to other government agencies.

Ms Kerr did not elaborate on the complaint about wages. The watchdog, Australia’s Fair Work Commission, did not immediately comment.