DESPITE attracting international attention and the condemnation of the Premier, Wicked Campers' controversial "Save a Whale - Harpoon a Jap" van is set to remain on the road.

The van drew criticism from anti-discrimination authorities, Greenpeace and the city's Japan-Australia friendship society after The Cairns Post last month revealed it had been spotted on the road.

But yesterday, Advertising Standards Bureau chief Alison Abernathy said that while media reports and images of the controversial anti-whaling slogan had drawn complaints, the organisation was powerless to act.

"The only complaints we received were from people who had read about the van either on a news website or in the newspaper," Ms Abernathy said. "We require complainants to state that they've physically seen the van and are not merely offended by the notion of its existence."

Last month, Ms Abernethy warned the slogan would breach the national Advertising Code of Ethics, which prohibits discrimination on racial grounds.

Wicked Campers' Dave Kinkead said the ASB had not contacted him about the slogan.

"Until they do it'll stay out there promoting the cause," he said.

"The incident has already brought the (anti-whaling) cause back into focus."

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, who feared the slogan would harm the state's tourism reputation, said she was disappointed the company had not heeded the calls from concerned Queenslanders and voluntarily taken offensive slogans off vans.

"Our tourism industry is part of the lifeblood of our state and visitors to Queensland deserve our respect," Ms Bligh said.

"If the company continues to ignore the community on this issue, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before someone who sights the van is offended and complains, but I would hope Wicked vans won't let it get to that before acting."

Wicked has been forced to remove a series of risque slogans the advertising watchdog ruled were demeaning to women.

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