Bill to ban fossil fuel advertising in NSW introduced into Parliament

NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson has introduced a bill to New South Wales Parliament to ban fossil fuel advertising, similar to that placed on tobacco companies.

The bill, named the Public Health and Safety (Fossil Fuel Advertising) Bill was brought to parliament, and already has the support of Greens and Independent MPs, Higginson told Mumbrella.

Higginson said the bill began from conversations with Comms Declare for Climate, founder Belinda Noble, and the campaign for a Fossil Fuel ad ban.

“My role as a Greens MP is to bring into parliament what good campaigns are happening within the community, and so I saw this as a perfect opportunity to introduce the idea of the fossil fuel ban into law in New South Wales.

“So that was the Genesis, and of course, the campaign is a very sensible campaign, a necessary campaign, and of course has enormous support from the public health sector.”

Higginson said while it is in its early days, it was important to bring it forward as it is at a very late stage of this term of parliament, “we’ve only got a few sittings left”.

“I thought that it was imperative to get it on the papers, get it on the agenda of the business of parliament, and so we did that yesterday.”

“Whether this bill gets debated in this term of parliament, that’s a difficult question to know the answer to, but what it means now is it’s on the business papers, and it is now on MP’s radar, and now I can do the work talking to people, introducing the information to them and they know it’s something in front of them.

“So in a sense, I suppose it’s a strategic introduction.”

Following NSW treasurer Matt Kean calling the bill “virtue signalling” yesterday, “to that I say, don’t be dismissive, don’t be reckless, and don’t be divisive,” said Higginson.

“This is an important campaign, we’ve seen exactly this sort of mechanism, very importantly, engaged in the past with tobacco. So let’s be serious about this.”

While there has been support from Independents, and “naturally, all of the Greens”, she said it is now her job to go and talk to the Opposition and to the Government.

“But I would suggest that the comment from Matt Kean, who naturally is the voice of government tells me that perhaps I won’t get much support there. That doesn’t mean the campaign and fossil fuel ban doesn’t have enormous merit, and it’s in the public interest, and I think it’s inevitable.”

Yesterday,Comms Declare and Clean Creatives released the 2022 edition of The F-List,a global independent investigation into advertising, media, and PR agencies working with climate polluting partners has found 239 agencies globally working with fossil fuel companies, with this year’s edition coming with a focus on the agencies working with top local polluters.