Greens plan may cost sporting clubs thousands

A radical Greens plan to ban a certain type of advertising may see sporting clubs, festivals and other organisations miss out on tens of thousands of dollars.

Former City of Yarra Greens mayor Amanda Stone is pushing for the radical action after the council was approached by a climate activist group to join a campaign to ban fossil fuel ads in Australia.

Inner city sporting clubs, festivals and other organisations could miss out on tens of thousands of dollars of support under a Greens push to ban fossil fuel-linked advertising on public property.

If enacted, the move would stop petrol stations, energy retailers and other firms involved in the production or supply of oil, gas or coal from displaying sponsorship ads on council-owned land.

Former City of Yarra Greens mayor Amanda Stone is pushing for the radical action after the council was approached by a climate activist group to join a campaign to ban fossil fuel ads in Australia.

Evan Mulholland, communications director for free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs, said Yarra Council could potentially use climate change as an excuse to kick local sporting and recreational groups off their home grounds.

“God forbid a junior footy team in the area is sponsored by a local servo, because they will be evicted by these radical green councillors under this proposed new rule,” he said.

“How much worse does it have to get before City of Yarra councillors and officers are held accountable?”

Firms involved in the production or supply of oil, gas or coal from displaying sponsorship ads on council-owned land.

In a motion before a Yarra Council meeting on Tuesday, councillor Stone said that supporting advertising on council property by fossil-fuel-connected firms would not be consistent with the council’s “climate emergency plan”, including net zero emissions by 2030.

“Yarra Council does not host commercial advertising on its buildings or property in general,” said the background to her motion.

“However, there may be opportunities where advertising for companies involved with fossil fuel production or supply may occur through sponsorship of sporting clubs using council sports grounds, public events and festivals.”

Ms Stone wants council management to do a report on the issue of an advertising ban by early July.

Her motion said that Yarra had been approached by a group called CommsDeclare to join a campaign to ban fossil fuel ads in Australia.

The organisation comprising PR and advertising figures claims to be “fact-based and non-partisan”.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said business and industry backed the transition to a clean economy, but it had to be done responsibly.

“Banning advertising by companies that produce or supply fossil fuels would only hurt those businesses,” he said.

“It would also hurt those local sporting and community groups that rely on the support of those businesses.”

Last July, Yarra passed a motion by Ms Stone to sign up to an international campaign to lobby governments to ratify “non-proliferation treaties” against fossil fuels.