We at Collective Shout have been protesting Wicked Camper’s misogynist, sexist, violent and rapey car slogans for almost nine years. At a time when we are ‘Counting Dead Women’ here and globally, the boys at Wicked come up with slogans like this:
So naturally we welcome the Queensland Parliament’s passage of laws against offensive slogans last night. This is the first action of its kind by any parliament. It recognises that attitudes shape behaviours. If you sexualise and objectify women and girls in these ways, there are outcomes in the real world. What is needed now is for all states to follow Queensland’s lead. Without this, a vehicle registered in NSW which is covered in offensive slogans can cross the border into Queensland and not be subject to QLD laws. And, after that, a complete overhaul of our advertising standards self-regulatory system. Advertiser’s code of ethics don’t even include ‘objectification’, and ads don’t have to comply with our anti-discrimination laws. There are no fines or penalties for non compliance with an Advertising Standards Board ruling and no powers of enforcement – which is why the QLD Government has had to act at all. If legislators want to get serious about addressing the way women are reduced to sexual objects and how violence against women is legitimized in advertising and marketing, they need to acknowledge that self-regulation has failed. As we wrote in this submission to a NSW Parliamentary last year: “Despite a number of state and federal inquiries demonstrating the need for systemic reform, media classification and self-regulatory schemes have failed to halt or even slow the proliferation of imagery and messaging through electronic, print and social media and marketing that demeans women, reduces them to sexual objects, fosters a culture which condones sexual violence, and pressures young girls to act in prematurely sexual ways”.
Media Statements
Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety and Ports and Minister for Energy, Biofuels and Water Supply
The Honourable Mark Bailey
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Vile vans vilify no more – it’s the law
Commercial operators who refuse to remove offensive slogans from their vehicles will have their registrations cancelled under new laws coming into force next month.
Main Roads and Road Safety Minister Mark Bailey said legislative changes passed with bipartisan support by the Parliament tonight on the second anniversary of the Palaszczuk Government, showed the government had listened and acted on long-standing community concerns about inappropriate advertising on vehicles.
“With this legislation, vehicles registered in Queensland displaying sexist, obscene or otherwise offensive advertising may face having their registration cancelled,” Mr Bailey said.
“These plans were announced in July last year and were supported by RACQ, Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) and the peak advertising industry body, the Australian Association of National Advertisers.
“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 Palaszczuk Government is leading the country in taking action on this issue and we’re working closely with other states and territories to promote a nationally consistent approach to vehicle registration laws on this issue.”
Mr Bailey added that after three years of inaction by the Newman-Nicholls government with their record majority, the Palaszczuk Government has passed this legislation on its second anniversary in government.
The Transport Operations (Road Use Management) (Offensive Advertising) Amendment Bill 2016 came about after extensive co-operation between the Department of Justice and the Attorney-General, the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and the ASB.
The new laws are expected to be in force by 31 March 2017.
See also:
Free speech defender Sen David Leyonhjelm tells MTR to ‘Shut the F..k Up’ following Chaser prank
