The outdoor advertising industry has come out swinging against a recommendation to regulate it by a Queensland parliamentary committee, branding it ‘heavy handed’ and ‘an over-reaction’.
The Inquiry into Sexually Explicit Outdoor Advertising by the Health and Community Services Committee recommends a legislated code of ethics to prevent children from being exposed to sexual material, and keep standards in line with community views.
Outdoor Media Association chief executive Charmaine Moldrich says, “When you think about all the world’s problems, where does Miranda Kerr in some sexy underwear really rank?”
The proposed code would be drafted by the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) in consultation with the government and would empower the Advertising Standards Board (ASB) to enforce it, with penalties including ‘significant fines’ and forcing advertisers to have their material vetted before display.
It was prompted by a petition of just 1360 signatures.
Moldrich says the regulations will needlessly cost the industry $3.5m despite there being only one upheld complaint in 2013 among more than 12,000 ads displayed in QLD, and a less than one per cent non-compliance rate over the past few years.
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“While the content of the report is balanced, its recommendations are out of step and heavy handed, which I think is quite disingenuous,” she says.
“They themselves acknowledge they found no evidence of inappropriate advertising but are legislating against what might happen – which shows a lack of trust in the public and the industry which already has 12 self-regulatory codes.
“This is an overreaction to two naughty kids who didn’t comply with ASB rulings, addressing perception not reality, the government is jumping at shadows – possibly either to placate a minority agenda or its own ideology.”
AANA director Alina Bain says the proposal ‘takes a sledge hammer to a nut’ and maintains the self-regulatory system is working well and does not need legislation.
“The Committee’s report acknowledges this, but then proceeds to recommend the implementation of a system which will allow Government to veto the current self-regulatory protections, and at a cost which will be borne by the Queensland public,” she says.
“The proposed regulatory structure will place Queensland businesses at a severe disadvantage against their counterparts in other states and runs contrary to the principle of uniform regulation of a national advertising and marketing industry.”
Moldrich fears the code will be politicised to fit the government’s agenda regardless of justification and is concerned about the precedent it sets for other states.
“The Committee’s decision to recommend government regulation is also at odds with the Newman government’s mandate to reduce red tape and seems extraordinary and costly for government and the industry,” she says.
“National advertisers might decide to forgo QLD because of the expense and difficulty in complying with different rules to the rest of Australia."
The report will now go to the government for consideration. The OMA and AANA will work with the government to facilitate the best outcome for everyone.
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