Inner West Council: Ethical advertising to be investigated, block on foreign government propaganda

The Inner West Council will investigate an ethical advertising filter on future business partners after a vote at council to ban foreign government propaganda and advertising from fossil fuel companies.

Advertisements for a host of unethical industries and companies could soon be banned from public spaces and buildings across an Sydney’s inner west.

The Inner West Council voted unanimously at a council meeting on Tuesday to approve an ‘ethical advertising’ policy moving forward and investigate the feasibility of blocking companies that don’t fall under that banner from using public spaces to advertise.

The list of no-go advertisers could range from fossil fuel companies to foreign government propaganda.

Last month, a billboard in Leichhardt which said Hong Kong was in the midst of an era of “stability, opportunity and prosperity” was described by human rights campaigners and the island’s diaspora as being “Chinese Communist Party propaganda”.

Inner West councillor Liz Atkins moved a motion at Tuesday’s meeting requesting an the investigation into “implementing restrictions on advertising for fossil fuels for any council controlled signage or property”, which was latter amended — and passed unanimously — by councillor Chloe Smith.

A billboard in Leichhardt claiming a new era of "stability" in Hong Kong was blasted as CCP propaganda by the diaspora. Picture: Supplied

Cr Smith said she was keen to “broaden the scope” of the motion to also investigate restrictions on foreign government propaganda, signage for tobacconists, and fake natural therapy companies and products.

The motion also includes a “ban on accepting sponsorship from companies whose main business is the extraction or sale of coal, oil or gas”.

The Inner West Council will investigate restrictions on fossil fuel companies advertising in its public spaces.

Belinda Noble, the founder of climate awareness group Comms Declare, said the council’s prior declarations to addressing the climate crisis were inconsistent with their current advertisement commitments.

“Inner Westies can only benefit from having their streets free of marketing for petrol, methane gas and coal,” she said.

The Inner West Council became the first council to 100 per cent divest from fossil fuels and became one of two councils to be 100 per cent powered by renewable energy.

Ms Noble said fossil fuel companies had spent $200 million on marketing and council should prevent the use of public property to promote “toxic products”.

“These companies are greenwashing and buying social acceptance,” she said.

The motion comes after the City of Sydney council became the first to ban fossil fuel advertisements or sponsorship across council buildings and events in August.

The ban prevents the fossil fuel industry from participating in popular City of Sydney events, including the coveted New Year’s Eve sponsorship opportunities.