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FINANCE
AN international cyber-hoax campaign targeting the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has snared Australia's Certified Practising Accountants (CPA). The Yes Men, a loose alliance of people concerned about the WTO's free trade policies, pulled off its first Australian hoax last week. The sting culminated in the CPA issuing a press release purporting to be from the WTO, announcing its restructure of the Trade Regulation Organisation (TRO). Yes Men impersonators have also appeared as WTO representatives in other nations, backing the extension of free trade principles. These include advocating selling votes to the highest bidder, making the poor eat recycled hamburgers to cure hunger, and allowing managers to give sweatshop workers electric shocks. The CPA's press release quoted a man supposed to be WTO development and economic research spokesman, Kinnithrung Sprat. Mr Sprat, Yes Man impersonator Andy Bichlbaum, led the CPA members and guests at the Sydney function in workshops on how to improve the WTO under its new title. "The new organisation will have as its basis the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with the aim of ensuring the TRO will have human rather than business interests as its bottom line," Mr Sprat was quoted as saying. Yes Men spokesman Michael Bonanno said his group was trying to balance the free trade debate. "We simply wanted to present the idea that it is possible and attainable to create a trading system that is first and foremost concerned with the welfare of people, rather than the current system in which profits are the only goal," he told AAP. The Yes Men are best known for a hoax on an international trade seminar in Austria two years ago. They bought the website domain www.gatt.org. GATT was the body which preceded the WTO. A seminar organiser went to the Yes Men's website and sought an official speaker, who turned out to be one of the group's impersonators. The website mirrors the WTO's official site almost perfectly, except some of its links provide information the world trade umpire would be unlikely to make public. "The most powerful statement against terrorism would be for governments of the rich nations to redress the deep inequities in the trade system and reverse the marginalisation of poorer countries," the Yes Men's site says. "The WTO's current configuration makes this impossible." Mr Bonanno said the Sydney CPA hoax went far better than the Yes Men had expected. "Given a chance to listen to this message, and to listen to some of the statistics about how terrible trade liberalisation has been for the poor and the environment, people reacted compassionately, and offered to help change the system," he said. The official WTO's director of media relations, Keith Rockwell, admitted the Yes Men had caused some embarrassment. "The Yes Men have had impressive success in duping various organisations around the world into believing that they are representatives of the WTO," he said in a statement. The CPA today apologised for its false press release. STORIES IN THIS SECTION  BHP Billiton lays off 100Austereo's share buybackDollar rises US½cStocks close weakerACCC OK's Bayer merger More trade deficits expectedDollar fresh highsBasin Minerals soarsAurionGold hits recordNation good on growth: agencyTower exits ChinaCoonan flags tax shake upResources weigh on bourseNorth West Shelf dealExport dip widens trade deficitSigma mulls merger optionsAustar chief clear airConfidence hits 7yr highKennedy push to head ABC Bushies leave city slickers in Net
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