Campaign Strategy: Advertising Standards in Australia

1. Highlight current failures of Advertising Self regulation (here)
2. Write to Minister for Communications, Senator Mitch Fifield (Letter sent via Coralie's local member Alan Tudge)
3. Identify old committee members and see who is still active who we could approach
4. Locate new committee members and identify who would be most sympathetic to approach
5. Go through 2011 committee recommendations and identify which have been enacted and which haven't
6. Go through government response to the recommendations
7. Locate any responses to the governments report by industry bodies (AANA, ASB, OMA)
8. Ascertain new Attorney General of Australia and write to them when appointed 

   The Saturday Paper has now confirmed that Brandis’s move abroad is expected in the second half of the year and that his replacement as attorney-general is likely to be West Australian former state attorney-general and treasurer, now federal social services minister, Christian Porter.

   Neither position has been formally locked in yet.

9. Contact Australian Council for Children and the Media and discuss best way to get the issue revisited
10. Find a sympathetic MP to put forward a motion for the Senate to push the committee to revisit the previous recommendations 
11. Lay out the campaign on the website for supporters to see how they can take part in writing to their own MP's. The story so far, next steps with link to our write to your MP page
12. Continue to push petition regarding change to code of ethics
13. Pursue partnership with CMA via Dunham + Co. for advertising the campaign via all their connected radio networks (Not possible for 2017, perhaps 2018)
14. Analyse the report Community perceptions of exploitative and
    degrading images in advertising from 2013. Summarise key findings and push for new research to be conducted in 2017 
15. What is research from experts in the field telling us about sexualised ads. this information, along with community standards, should be assessed by ASB
16. Work in conjunction with universities, council and marketing agencies to develop training and events around better advertising that does not objectify women or sexualise girls
17. Contact Advertising Standards Authority in the UK regarding their call for evidence into 'Gender stereotyping in ads'. Is there a final report? Push for ASB to conduct similar inquiry 

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2011 Committee Members:

Mr Graham Perrett MP - Labor MP, gave speech about DV last September- opposing perpetrators being able to cross examine victims

The Hon Judi Moylan MP – no longer active

Mr Shayne Neumann MP - still active, nothing particularly relevant

Ms Michelle Rowland MP - still active, nothing particularly relevant

Ms Laura Smyth MP - no longer active

The Hon Dr Sharman Stone – no longer active

MP Mr Ross Vasta MP – still active, nothing particularly relevant

2011 report recommendations: 

#1 Advertising and industry bodies report to AG office by 30 Dec 2011 with responses and to report how relevant recommendations will be acted on, then provide a comprehensive report by 30 December 2012 to show how recommendations were acted on.

#2 AG reviews reports by 30 June 2013, and if self regulation is found to be lacking AG’s impose self funded co-regulatory system with government input, conduct five yearly reviews

#3 AANA to introduce code of practice for out of home advertising for ASB to use, recognising unrestricted audience and possible cumulative impact 

#4 AG department should investigate unrestricted display of racist or sexualised images in public sphere under anti discrimination legislation

#5 That ASB produce transparent copy advice service to advise advertisers on suitability or proposed advertisements

#6 That ASB conduct random compliance surveys of outdoor advertising and should self initiate investigations where needed

#7 AANA establish regular program to review voluntary codes of advertising, in consultation with experts

#8 AANA amend its code to include objectification

#9 ASB should conduct research every two years into community perceptions re sex, sexuality and nudity in advertising, and advertising to children (among other things)

#10- N/A- alcohol advertising

#11 N/A- alcohol advertising

#12 N/A- automotive industry

#13 N/A- sports sponsorships

#14 N/A- food advertising 

#15 By 2011 accept complaints by phone and email, and investigate anonymous complaints 

#16 ASB to establish nationwide information and awareness campaigns about ad complaints systems

#17 N/A 

#18 Addressing non-compliance- establishing a webpage naming advertisers who don’t comply, circulating their names in industry newsletters, encouraging Outdoor Media Association not to accept their advertising, reporting to AG office.

#19 N/A

STANDING COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL POLICY AND LEGAL AFFAIRS 

Committee Members

• Chair

  Ms Sarah Henderson MP - Liberal Party of Australia , Corangamite VIC 

  

• Deputy Chair

  Ms Sharon Claydon MP - Australian Labor Party , Newcastle NSW

  

• Member

  Ms Julia Banks MP - Liberal Party of Australia , Chisholm VIC

  

• Member

  Mr George Christensen MP - The Nationals , Dawson QLD

  

• Member

  Dr Mike Freelander MP - Australian Labor Party , Macarthur NSW

  

• Member

  Ms Susan Lamb MP - Australian Labor Party , Longman QLD

  

• Member

  Mr Ben Morton MP - Liberal Party of Australia , Tangney WA

  

• Member

Mr Tim Wilson MP - Liberal Party of Australia , Goldstein VIC

Government response to committee recommendations:

The majority of recommendations made by the Standing Committee are directed wholly or in part at non-government bodies. The Commonwealth has referred the Standing Committee’s recommendations to those bodies for their attention and response by 28 September 2012.

These include:

• Australian Association of National Advertisers – the Government has referred recommendations 1, 3, 7, 8, 13, 17
• Advertising Standards Bureau – the Government has referred recommendations 5, 6, 9, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19
• Advertising Standards Board – the Government has referred recommendations 1, 6 and 9.
• Australian Food and Grocery Council – the Government has referred recommendations 1, 14
• Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries – the Government has referred recommendations 1, 12
• Outdoor Media Association – the Government has referred recommendation 17
• Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code scheme – the Government has referred recommendations 1 and 10.

The recommendations that are wholly directed at non-government bodies (at which the Commonwealth makes no further comment at this time) are recommendations 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19. 

Current code of ethics here. (Effective Date: January 2012, Last update: January 2016)

The code of ethics practise note can be found here.

Advertising Standards Authority UK

Our call for evidence: Gender stereotyping in ads

In recent years, there has been increasing political and public debate on equality issues.  The mocking of women and men in non-stereotypical roles, the reinforcement of stereotyped views of gender roles, and gender-specific marketing to children, as well as concerns regarding objectification, sexualisation and the presentation of an idealised  or unrealistic body image are all issues that have gained considerable public interest.

As a proactive regulator, we want to find out more about these issues and others to ensure we continue to be alive to and in tune with prevailing standards when interpreting and applying the rules. Consequently, we will be doing three things: examining evidence on gender stereotyping in ads, seeking views from a range of stakeholders, and commissioning our own research into public opinion.

We are eager to hear about what stakeholders and the research tell us about gender stereotyping in ads and the impact of such advertising, which will help shape the project as we move forward. In particular, we are keen for people and organisations to send us any research they have on this issue. Evidence can be sent to us at [email protected].

We are requesting submissions by the end of June to help inform the approach we take to the public research we will be carrying out.  After June, we will still be happy to receive evidence and consider it, but it won’t be able to inform the public research.

The project will report on whether we’re getting it right on gender stereotyping in ads.  If the evidence suggests a change in regulation is merited we will set out the best way to achieve it.