‘Grow up’: Number plate on $150k Mercedes divides social media users

A driver in Western Australia has sparked debate on social media over the “tasteless” choice of number plate affixed to their luxury European car.

A driver has sparked debate on social media over the “tasteless” choice of number plate affixed to their luxury European car.

A photo of the Mercedes C-Class vehicle – which retails for over $150,000 brand new – was captured in Perth and shared to Reddit this week, sporting a license plate that read: “CENTRLINK”.

“I very much doubt the owner of this Merc is on Centrelink,” the person who uploaded the image wrote alongside it.

A driver in Western Australia has sparked debate on social media over the 'tasteless' choice of number plate affixed to their luxury European car. Picture: Reddit

Given the price associated with owning a vehicle has increasingly become a burden amid Australia’s ongoing cost-of-living crisis, responses to the Reddit post swiftly descended into a conversation over whether the number plates are harmless or blatantly offensive.

“An odd choice of plate, I’m surprised it’s not banned,” one person wrote.

“It clearly will frustrate those who are on Centrelink, through no fault of their own … hopefully the driver will one day grow up.”

Another agreed, commenting: “I get that it’s a joke plate, but there’s something really tasteless about rich people belittling the poor. There’s a word for that kind of person, but I just c*nt put my finger on it.”

“You can’t even buy a Mercedes part on Centrelink,” a third said.

‘You can’t even buy a Mercedes part on Centrelink.’ Picture: Reddit

Others argued the license plates were nothing more than a bit of fun.

“I can just imagine some people actually taking this seriously,” one said.

“I feel like there are so many more (in poor) taste,” a second wrote.

“They’re like Australia’s version of political or opinion stickers.”

“It’s a pretty funny plate,” a third person wrote.

According to the Australian Automobile Association’s Transport Affordability Index, the typical household’s transport costs rose by an average 13 per cent in 2023, outpacing the inflation rate of 4.1 per cent.

High upfront costs for purchasing new vehicles, increased car loan interest rates and rising insurance premiums were behind the ballooning transport costs, it said.

“Transport is a significant and unavoidable expense for households and is also one of the key drivers, of general inflation,” the peak motoring body’s managing director, Michael Bradley, said in March this year, calling on the government to consider these pressures when formulating policy.