Bonds baby competition turns feral as parents trade nasty barbs online

THE Bonds baby competition has turned nasty once again, with some parents posting comments online blasting finalist babies as “plain and weird” and “hideous”.

THE Bonds baby competition has turned nasty once again, with some parents blasting finalist babies online as “plain and weird” and “hideous”.

Comments on the shortlisted babies – which include two little children with Down syndrome – included: “a lot of babies deserved it more” and “there are better looking kids then (sic) what were chosen”.

The comments were made on the Bonds Baby Search Facebook page, apparently by parents who entered babies that did not make the finals.

The high-profile competition has been plagued with in-fighting in recent years.

Bonds moderators have had to constantly remind parents “to be positive, be respectful and that all bubs deserve to be celebrated”.

Priscilla Neilson from New South Wales questioned the looks of some of the babies who were shortlisted. “I'm not saying mine is but a lot of babies deserved it more. It is a competition based on looks,” she wrote.

One comment came from “Kirsty And-rob Farrell” from Queensland, who said some of the finalist babies were “just plain and weird”.

Ngaire Hamilton from New Zealand said most of the kids were “hideous”.

“Obviously not going by looks or Australian,” she wrote.

Some parents were also unhappy with what they considered to be the unfair application of the eligibility rules, particularly in relation to the need for babies to be pictured wearing Wondersuits with the logo showing.

Others dismissed the people’s choice category as a “facebook popularity contest” rather than a fair competition.

The winners of the competition, which attracted 62,000 entries, were announced on Wednesday. They included Louise Schmuelly’s seven-month-old twin boys Arion and Peleh from New South Wales.

Coleraine stay-at-home mum Tegan Beaton, 30, said the comments were a shame.

“I should be shocked, but I am not shocked,” she said.

But Ms Beaton said she wondered if Bonds were “after a certain look”.

“There were some extremely cute babies and kids in the competition that didn't even get a look in,” she said.

“It would be nice to know what they are looking for”.

Ms Beaton entered her daughter Sophia, nearly two, but said she was not at all worried that Sophia didn’t win.

Other parents were happier with the results. These included Victorian mum Sarah Kiss.

Her baby Ruby, who has Down syndrome, was a finalist.

“I hope everyone can see that everyone should be treated equally and everyone is beautiful matter what,” she wrote.

Todd Hayward, a spokesman on behalf of Bonds, said more than 250,000 people’s choice votes were registered in the competition.

“It was a real joy to see so many adorable faces over the last two months and we thank everybody who participated, the vast majority of whom did so in a positive and respectful way,” he said.