Barrister Peter Lavac reveals new personalised plates after LGOPNR scandal

Barrister Peter Lavac made headlines last year over his battle to use his controversial LGOPNR plates — short for leg opener — on his Lamborghini. He lost that fight but has now revealed his new plates.

A Sydney criminal barrister lost his fight against the bureaucracy after the number plates on his Lamborghini racing car were deemed too offensive.

Peter Lavac has unveiled his replacement personalised plates and while they are not nearly as provocative, they are equally and unashamedly egotistical – XXLEGO.

The plates, fitted on the colourful barrister’s yellow racing car last Monday, stand for “extra large ego” and are a tongue-in-cheek testament to his own narcissism.

“Everyone tells me I have a super large ego and that I am a total narcissist and they all reckon those plates would be appropriate for me,” the former Hong Kong prosecutor said.

Barrister Peter Lavac reveals his new number plates after Transport NSW confiscated his old controversial plates. Picture: Tim Hunter

Mr Lavac’s battle against Transport NSW created headlines last year after he was ordered to hand in his LGOPNR plates, an abbreviation of the phrase leg opener, because they were too offensive.

According to the humble 74-year-old legal eagle, the LGOPNR plates were a shout out to his “reputation as a playboy” and shouldn’t have caused offence because most people couldn’t figure out the meaning at first glance.

The lung cancer survivor saw the Transport NSW action as an unnecessary attack on freedom of expression and an example of political correctness gone mad.

He appealed the licence plate confiscation in the NSW Local Court last September and won on a technicality.

Transport NSW circled back for round two and told Mr Lavac if he didn’t hand his plates in, his registration would be suspended.

The new plates are a shout out to the large egos of barristers and athletes. Picture: Tim Hunter

Mr Lavac appealed the registration suspension and the matter was listed for hearing in the Downing Centre Local Court late last year.

But the state wasn’t ready to wait and Mr Lavac’s beloved LGOPNR plates were removed by police after he was pulled over during a random breath test in Manly in December.

When it came to his day in court, Mr Lavac’s legal team put up an impassioned argument about freedom of expression and his right to keep and bear self-indulgent number plates.

“The reason I took on these PC bullies was because at age five, me and my family escaped Soviet-occupied Czechoslovakia,” he explained.

“The soil was soaked red with the blood of Czech martyrs, who lost their lives standing up to the communist thugs and bullies while fighting for liberty and human rights.

“ … such as freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom from censorship, basic rights which most Aussies take for granted but which are slowly being eroded by the woke weirdos, the political correctness crazies and the left wing lunatics.”

Mr Lavac created headlines last year after he challenged Transport NSW for confiscating his LGOPNR plates. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

But in December, the court ruled in Transport NSW’s favour – the LGOPNR plates had to go.

Mr Lavac tossed around a few ideas for his new plates – SPRDEM (spread them) and FCKOFF – but conceded the abbreviations would “never past muster”.

“They would be scrutinising my application with a microscope,” he said.

Instead, he settled for XXLEGO.

“Every criminal lawyer and athlete has a massive ego, you need it to do battle in court or to win at sport and you particularly need a big ego to take on bullies and kick their arses.”

Mr Lavac pictured during his days a world champion skier in 2004. Picture: Supplied

The former Hong Kong prosecutor said the new plates are speak to his ego. Picture: Supplied

Mr Lavac, who set a world record for paddling a surf ski across the South China Sea in 1990, said he‘d been blown away by the support from random punters who either wanted a selfie with his car or to shake his hand.

“Ever since this story went viral, and thanks to freedom of the press, made international headlines, we have attracted massive overwhelming support from all over the world,” he said.

“We have won where it really counts in the court of public opinion and the pub test.

“As an added bonus, we put a much needed smile on a lot of people’s faces during these dark difficult times.”