Mosman Council considers ban on ‘fossil fuel’ companies advertising on council assets over climate change concerns

Fearing the loss of a lucrative deal, councillors on Sydney’s north shore have put the brakes on a proposal that would stop certain companies advertising on council-owned assets.

One of the billboards crossing Military Rd.

Councillors on Sydney’s north shore have put plans to ban fossil fuel companies advertising on council-owned property on ice, amid concerns over the potential loss of advertising revenue.

Mosman councillors have aired mixed opinions over a push to stop fossil fuel and gambling companies advertising on council-owned assets, including bus shelters and electronic billboards on the Bridgepoint Shopping Centre overpass bridge crossing Military Rd.

The proposed ban, put forward by Mosman Council deputy mayor Michael Randall, was aimed at recognising the “climate emergency and health and climate impacts of coal, oil and gas” as well as the “social harm caused by gambling”.

Mr Randall said allowing advertising of companies associated with fossil fuels “undermines” the council’s efforts to address climate change.

In recent months, Mr Randall said the electronic billboards on the Mosman overpass bridge had been used to advertise companies including coal miner Glencore and petroleum industry group Australian Energy Producers.

Mosman councillor Roy Bendall, who has raised concerns over the proposed ban.

“This motion is not virtue signalling,” Mr Randall said.

“It’s about aligning our actions with our values.”

Mosman councillor Roy Bendall raised concerns over the financial impacts of a ban, which he described as a “nice to make a statement”.

He said the concerns included implications for an existing contract with advertising company oOh!media, which has a 15-year agreement with the council for the use of the two advertising billboards crossing Military Rd.

The council’s general manager, Dominic Johnson, said the contract with oOh!media was worth about $900,000 a year.

“I am convinced that this motion, with all due respect to the intention, will have a significant impact on that return,” he said.

“We will then have trouble modelling a financial future for this council which provides for a surplus each year if we cannot renew our contract at a similar price point.

“Those are just the facts.”

Mosman resident Belinda Noble supported the ban.

Mosman resident Belinda Noble, who founded a company that represents communications agencies and professionals who have pledged not to promote the growth of fossil fuels, urged councillors to support the ban.

She said in her view, some recent advertising billboards displayed in the council area amounted to “greenwashing”.

“I’m shocked and offended to see community property used to advertise products that are actually doing us harm,” she said.

“While fossil fuels have their uses, they are on their way out.”

In response to concerns, councillors voted to seek a report to assess the sustainability of future contracts if a proposed ban was to proceed, and the processes of how such a ban would operate.

If a ban proceeds, Mosman would join a handful of other councils that have taken moves to limit the advertising of companies linked to fossil fuels, including the City of Sydney Council.