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Less-Wicked Campers on our roads?

Wicked Campers will be forced to curb any advertising slogans deemed offensive on vehicles, or have them removed from Queensland roads under new government legislation.

According to attorney-general Yvette D’Ath, the plan to get racist, sexist, misogynistic or otherwise clearly inappropriate messages off Queensland roads comes after extensive co-operation between the department of justice, the attorney-general, the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and the Advertising Standards Bureau.

“Under the new arrangements, commercial vehicle registration holders who fail to comply with determinations by the Advertising Standards Bureau will face the prospect of having the registration of offending vehicles cancelled,” said Mrs D’Ath.

The move comes after an increased level of community concern about the naughty, crude and downright offensive slogans showcased on some commercial vehicles in Queensland and other parts of Australia.

The popular car and van hire company Wicked Campers has been the subject of frequent complaints to the Advertising Standards Board and when the slogans were deemed offensive Wicked Campers did not, allegedly, take the matter seriously enough.

In a press release last year the company responded to criticism of its vehicles’ misogynistic slogans. “I can already imagine the gaffa tape on your mouth,” the firm wrote, unveiling an initiative code named Moral Monkey Squad.

In the mission statement, Moral Monkey Squad is “dedicated to satisfying the whims and wishes of the humour-inept, self-righteous moral majority while wearing little monkey tuxedos and funny hats.”

Wicked will now be forced to take the matter more seriously, with the government targeting the issue using commercial vehicle registrations.

“The owners of these vehicles are in business, and some may see the offence and outrage they cause as a form of free publicity,” Mrs D’Ath said.

“Now, they have a strong financial incentive to comply with the ASB, because if they don’t, their vehicles will be unregistered, off the road, and unable to generate revenue.

“I will continue to work closely with minister Bailey and would hope legislation can be brought before the parliament by the end of this year.”

“In the meantime, I would encourage the owners of these commercial vehicle registrations to see the writing on the wall – and get this offensive writing off their vehicles,” she concluded.

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