Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that the Queensland Government recently announced a radical overhaul on junk food advertising. They intend phasing it out around schools, sports grounds and public transport hubs to ensure that advertising in these public spaces is in the best interests of children. There is strong evidence, supported by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and Australian Psychological Society (APS) that exposure to sexualised images is also detrimental to child health, mental health and psychological development. According to the Australian Association of National Advertisers Code for Advertising and Marketing Communications to Children, advertising directed towards children must not employ sexual appeal and or include sexual imagery. This is in line with community standards in recognition that sexual advertising is harmful to children, can generate increased sexism, increased rates of sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to include sexually inappropriate advertising in the Government’s planned phasing out of junk food advertising around schools, sports grounds and public transport hubs in line with the guidelines for what is unacceptable for children clearly identified by the Australian Association of National Advertisers Code for Advertising and Marketing Communications to Children. These guidelines are in recognition of prevailing community standards. Schools, sporting fields and transport hubs should be safe zones for children, free from the negative effect of junk food advertising as well as inappropriate exposure to sexualised images and themes which impacts children and young people in many areas of their lives.