Sexist and offensive slogans on vehicles, such as Wicked Campers, have now been outlawed after the Road Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 was adopted by parliament on October 21.
Local MP Tamara Smith (Greens) said it was a ‘great win’, with Greens amendments being adopted.
Within her speech on the bill, she said, ‘People in the Ballina electorate who have advocated on this issue consider it a very positive change in the law. Di Campbell, former president of the Bangalow Country Women’s Association, wrote to me and said, “There is no place for slogans which promote sexism, racism and violence against women. Driving behind them with children must be extremely difficult for parents to explain. Many have slogans which are ever so sexist and thoroughly demeaning to women”.
‘Paul McCarthy, who campaigned very strongly in Byron Bay, wrote to me and said, “Can you please help a poor old grandfather who is trying to clean up his town of Byron Bay. All he wants to do is to be able to walk down the street with his granddaughters and not read signs using obscenities”.
In 2014, The Echo reported that a federal Greens motion was unanimously passed in the senate, which followed a hugely successful change.org petition. It was sparked by an 11-year-old girl who objected to the slogan, ‘In every princess, there’s a little slut who wants to try it just once,’ which she noticed painted on the back of a Wicked Camper van.
Sad that it took so many years. Sadder still that people kept hiring the vans with offensive slogans..
Oh well, let’s throw the baby out with the bath water and say just NO SIGNS at all, about anything, cos everything offends someone. I reckon stupid graffiti is a great opportunity for parents to explain some things to children. Like the family’s values.
No I have a better idea, let teachers do it all.
Maybe hypocritical statements should be outlawed as well.
How do women become mothers? Consider that question in this statement: below.
Sexism, racim and violence against women has never been a characteristic of Wicked Campers.
The offence in this statement is the inability of a mother to explain. Maybe the mother should be educated in English then with that education she could explain how her childen began life. Is the sexual act demeaning to women? Many women believe so. That is the problem.
“There is no place for slogans which promote sexism, racism and violence against women. Driving behind them with children must be extremely difficult for parents to explain. Many have slogans which are ever so sexist and thoroughly demeaning to women”.
I’ll stand right behind you Alice !
Also, outlaw any wowser who proposes laws to prohibit “offending “in fact make it illegal to be offended by such trivialities. After all one woman’s sexist,racist violent incident is another woman’s good night out, not to mention the proclivities of the LGBLTS etc , which while apparently now legal, would offend the sensibilities of millions. Meanwhile the trashing of the entire Planet for a few more filthy dollars of superannuation doesn’t seem to offend these precious little flowers too much.
To my mind the slogans were just a cunning ploy to divert attention from the chronic rust problems. But anyhow, now the vans will be clean and the tourists will be nowhere to be seen. Cheers, G”)
Giddyup! About time.
And I’m no prude.
Some people believe that the more offensive you are the more enlightened you are. Intelligent people know better than that.