Wicked war steps up offensive
THE Wicked van war has been cranked up to a new level with the backpacker company challenging Queensland Premier Anna Bligh over the right to free speech.
In the wake of criticism by the State Government that the vans’ satirical slogans were offensive, Wicked has painted a vehicle with a new line containing explicit language.
"On the back, it says, ‘If this offends, call Anna’ and has the number of the Premier’s office," Wicked boss Dave Kinkead said. It is understood the "f" word has been used.
Ms Bligh told The Cairns Post that Wicked vans were treading a fine line by thumbing their noses at the standards of "ordinary, decent Queenslander".
"Their management will be doing themselves and their business further harm," she said.
Mr Kinkead’s response comes after Ms Bligh objected to a Wicked van bearing the slogan "Save a whale – harpoon a Jap", fearing it would damage Japanese tourism.
Mr Kinkead said Wicked had two vans forced off the road at the weekend by the Advertising Standards Bureau while four others were deemed as not being offensive.
He said one of the offending tag lines would be changed from "If God were a woman, sperm would taste like chocolate" to "If God were a man …" so it would not be regarded by the ASB as being degrading to woman.
Mr Kinkead said he expected the ASB to investigate the van with the harpoon slogan but described the Premier’s concerns it would deter Japanese visitors as "ludicrous".
He said the ABC’s Chaser crew had recently run a skit on national television where the Japanese ambassador was asked if it would be OK to kill some Japanese tourists in the name of scientific research.
The satirists’ later dressed up in rubber rafts and ran around Sydney’s Circular Quay aiming a toy harpoon at Japanese tourists.
"Where was Anna Bligh’s outrage when that was aired on the ABC?" Mr Kinkead said.
He said tags on the company’s vans were often used to create debate and public discussions on social issues.
Sixty-seven per cent of respondents to a website poll by The Cairns Post last week objected to such controversial slogans being banned.
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Lined up for offensive: A row of Wicked campervans in Cairns.
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