Perth Voice Interactive

BAYSWATER city council is set to lift its ban on political advertising on bus stops and street benches.

In 2012 the council voted to ban all political ads on community infrastructure outside the period when election writs are issued.

With council elections looming on October 17, council officers have advised the ban won’t hold up in court and contravenes WA local government association guidelines.

“Such constraints may be deemed to infringe the implied freedom of political communication and be considered invalid,” officers wrote.

Mayor’s support

Officers also advised the council to permit political signage on private land within 28 days of an election, subject to council approval.

Mayor Sylvan Albert — who is up for re-election and was affected by the ban while contesting Maylands for the state Liberals in 2013— supports the lifting of the embargo.

“The ban shouldn’t have been there in the first place,” he says. “We are now consistent with every other council in WA.”

Cr Mike Anderton, who is re-contesting his north ward seat, echoes the sentiment.

“I don’t have a problem with it, as long as it’s within in the guidelines,” he says. “I will be advertising my campaign on coffee cups sold by a cafe in Noranda Shopping Centre.

“I have had that approved.”

In 2013, the Liberals won an injunction against the Armadale council which had demanded that Liberal candidates remove unauthorised political signs from private property in the lead-up to the state election.

The decision cast doubt over the legality of moves by several WA councils to ban political ads; even those on public infrastructure via third party advertisers.

The Liberals’ 2013 election campaign irked several councils unhappy with hot air balloons, bench ads and other big signs littering their municipalities.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK