Ballina looks set to join the growing backlash against the ‘inappropriate and degrading messages’ that are often featured on Wicked Camper vans.
Ballina shire councillor Robyn Hordern has lodged a notice of motion for Thursday’s meeting calling on her fellow councillors to join the push against the company.
She wants the council to write to relevant state and federal ministers to ‘encourage and support any actions or legislative changes that can or are to be taken to remove or ban the inappropriate messages that are printed on Wicked Camper vans’.
‘We are all aware of the inappropriate and degrading messages that are often placed on Wicked Camper vans,’ Cr Hordern said.
‘I understand that councils such as Byron Shire are starting to lobby for the removal of these messages and it is appropriate for council to write letters of support for any actions that can or are being taken to assist with this campaign, as the public display of these messages is often insulting and / or degrading to many members of our community.’
Echonetdaily has previously reported that the company’s vans with their lurid spray painted slogans, some even promoting, if not inciting rape, are popular with young tourists travelling around the northern rivers.
A Facebook page, Boycott Wicked Campers, now has more than 4000 supporters, and even the organisers of the Splendour in the Grass Music Festival are taking a stand against the vans.
On the Splendour website, organisers have written: ‘If you’re booking a campervan, please steer clear of sexist slogans! You know who you are. It’s 2016, get with the program.’
Usual bunch of female wowsers trying to spoil people’s fun. Don’t include me in the broad brush ‘Ballina backlash’. I always get amusement driving behind or alongside these vans. A bit of ribald fun never hurt anyone…except the quasi-religious wowser element in the Northern Rivers apparently.
I hope the Wicked van owner rides out the bashing he’s getting from the chosen few. They’ll soon get over it when they see nobody seriously supports them.
Do you have children Jon? I really hope not.
“In every princess there is a little slut who wants to try it just once”
“Dear Lucy, I can already imagine the gaffs tape in your mouth”
“A blowjob is a great last minute gift”
How would you explain these to them as you drive along behind them?
I think you’ll find there are thousands of people supporting this campaign.
Jon you’re an idiot. Must be a lot of religious wowsers in NZ as I they’re trying to get them banned there with 127,000 supporters. And you really think Splendour in the Grass organisers are religious wowsers? Do your research!
Me too… Most of them are funny and true. Some are crude… And that’s fun too.
I’d say you were in the minority Jon.
Your Daughter is on My List of Things to do Tonight. Ribald Jon? Nah, outdated and threatening.
Save Water, Shower with Your Neighbour’s Daughter. You find paedophilia amusing do you? Most of us these days call it abuse and consider it abhorrent.
Fat Chicks are Harder to Kidnap. Strange sense of humour if you find that funny.
I’d Like to Drown my Sorrows but my Wife won’t go Swimming. Do you find all domestic violence hilarious Jon or just when it involves drowning?
The vans are colourful and, with some imagination and a bit of cleverness, they could have edgy, modern slogans on them. Instead the slogans portray old-fashioned and hideous images of women. We all need to get our spray cans out!
I’d bet Wicked’s clientele probably don’t even understand the context of the messages they are cruising around promoting. If it bothers you laugh and point, simulate in car-wanking while making as much eye contact with them as possible while mouthing the word “Wicked” over and over, confront them openly about the offensive nature of their transport or just shake your head disapprovingly, word will get around. Go after the clients not the owner because they are the only people he’s going to listen to.
Dear Jon..respondent to this article..you must not have a precious child whose future should be allowed to be innocent… once a child can read and understand it is criminal to expose them to such an attitude.
There are Wicked vans out there referencing rape, kidnapping and sexual offences against girls.
Meanwhile one woman per week still dies by male violence in this country. Wicked Campers contributes wilfully to this hostile climate for women and girls.
But hey, let’s not get in the way of your bit of fun.
Well, the wowsers certainly congregate on this forum!
So, your pristine little snowflake daughter asks you an embarrassing question about the sexual meaning behind a slogan. She’ll ask you those kind of questions increasingly as she grows up anyway. Maybe you should just lie to her, make up a story, lots of shy parents still do that these days.
As for quoting New Zealand as some kind of example, Kiwis are notoriously puritanical anyway about most things, that’s why those with any gumption clear out as soon as possible.
As for ‘do I have a daughter’, yes, I do, two in fact. The older one is very attuned to modern standards and wouldn’t be at all shocked. The younger one will develop the same way I think.
I hope that your move to ban Wicked vans fails and you all remain bickering among yourselves.
Your view on Kiwis is outdated by about forty years, they have marriage equality already for a start , now what you expect from a bunch of puritans.
I am no wowser and enjoy a bit of ribaldry just as much as the next un wowserish person. Some of the Wicked slogans ARE beyond the pale and should be removed.
They can always go back to the slogans that they had when they started out. MJ leaves and witty comments.
Jon. I will pray for you
So Jon, ir’s okay with you if your daughters are seen as objects to demean and threaten, is it? Female wowzers my ass – how condescending you are. But hey, let’s yock it up about rape and domestic violence so you don’t get offended that we don’t think “jokes” about issues that have serious, if not deadly, impact on many women re funny,. Pfffttt….
Don’t tell women how to feel, okay?
I totally agree Jon but you need to realise we don’t just have nanny states now we have a nanny country where no-one can have a sense of humour anymore because of all the sooks. Most of these slogans they use you can see on the internet and get tattoos of them. And I wonder if all the do gooders realise it’s more of a crime accusing the owners (without proof) of being violent/rapists than what the slogans are
They want the whole of Australia talking about them.
It’s free advertising.
Just stop talking about them and get your spray cans ready.