The QLD government released a statement yesterday to announce that commercial operators who refuse to remove offensive slogans from their vehicles will have their registrations cancelled under new laws coming into force next month.
“With this legislation, vehicles registered in Queensland displaying sexist, obscene or otherwise offensive advertising may face having their registration cancelled,” Main Roads and Road Safety Minister Mark Bailey said.
“This strikes the right balance between firm and fair - if the Advertising Standards Board (the Board) determines that an ad on a Queensland registered vehicle needs to be removed or modified, the registration holder will have a chance to make those changes.
“If those changes aren’t made, the registration of the offending vehicle will be cancelled, simple as that.
“Rather than ignore Board determinations, as has sometimes been the case in the past, registered operators now have a good reason to make the required changes and fall in line with community expectations.”
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath said the Palaszczuk Government had acted on community concerns.
“Many people across the community have been concerned for some time about the derogatory, sexist and outright offensive slogans and cartoons on the side of some commercial Queensland vehicles but previous governments have put this in the too-hard basket,” Mrs D’Ath said.
The new laws are expected to be in force by 31 March 2017.
Collective Shout welcomes the move by the QLD government to take further action, but what about all the other companies slipping through the cracks of the self regulatory system. Retailers like Honey Birdette continually breach the advertising code of ethics, with no penalties for non-compliance.
And what about all the ads that don't seem to breach the code of ethics because the code does not include objectification and sexism? We've compiled an example of those here.
The Australian public are still waiting for recommendations from the 2011 Inquiry into the regulation of billboard and outdoor advertising to be implemented. Enough is enough.
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Write to your MP asking for an advertising standards overhaul
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