Noosa Council considers rule changes after circus advertising ‘fiasco’

After being labelled as kill joys and the “fun police” for ordering the removal of inflatable clowns Noosa Council is revisiting advertising signage rules.

An inflatable clown “fiasco” that made headlines globally with some labelling Noosa Council as kill joys has prompted a rethink on advertising rules.

The coastal tourism destination’s council came under fire after several residents were told in February to take down inflatable clowns advertising a travelling circus from their properties.

The matter made headlines nationally as well as in the United Kingdom.

Mayor Clare Stewart has requested a workshop for councillors to better understand reasons behind the rules and potentially begin the process to make changes.

She said the councillors were being judged on signage laws they had no input on.

Noosa Council's advertising signage rules are up for discussion after it was slammed for demanding the removal of inflatable clowns – like this one – in February that were advertising a travelling circus.

Ms Stewart said the discussions would help the council consider if the laws met community expectations.

“The Great Moscow Circus clown fiasco and I refer to it like that because quite frankly it was a fiasco and an incredibly big one at that, generated a huge amount of angst and concern in our community with many thinking that myself and this council had the ability to simply change a policy,” Ms Stewart said.

“But that isn’t the case … amendments take time and there is a process to follow.”

Ms Stewart moved an amendment to call for the workshop during discussion about a planning application for signage.

Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart said the councillors should have an opportunity to get a better understanding of advertising rules. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

“It’s my hope that with this amendment we can at least gain a better understanding of the laws and the reasonings behind them,” she said.

Under a local law in Noosa event organisers cannot display more than six advertising signs and all signs must not exceed 900mm x 600mm.

At the time Ms Stewart said the local law on advertising signage was introduced in February, 2020 “with the purpose of preserving the look and feel of Noosa’s unique environment”.

She said the request for removal was in response to several complaints.