Conservation Groups Accuse Adelaide Airport of Censoring Political Ads

"Trump-lite behavior" — Bob Brown, former Greens leader, condemns the airport's decision to remove environmental advertisements while allowing gas and mining promotions to continue.

Conservation groups have reported that their advertisements targeting Labor politicians were removed by Adelaide airport for violating political advertising rules, while advertisements promoting gas and mining continued to be displayed.

The Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance (MDCA), the Bob Brown Foundation, and the Adelaide Park Lands Association stated that their ads at Adelaide airport were either removed or blocked.

"Save the Murray" Ad Disappears Without Notice

MDCA's "Save the Murray" advertisement was scheduled to run from July 13 to July 26 on an electronic billboard in the airport concourse, but it disappeared by July 22. Craig Wilkins, co-director of MDCA, said the ad was approved and paid for, but was removed without notice.

Adelaide airport's guidelines prohibit advertising that is political in nature. A spokesperson for Adelaide airport confirmed that advertisements not meeting these guidelines will be removed.

The advertising agency JCDecaux informed the conservation groups that the airport considered the ads "too political."

Contrasting Ads Remain on Display

After MDCA's ad was removed, photographs taken in the concourse showed advertisements from Santos, the Minerals Council of Australia, and Independent Schools Australia.

An advertisement for the "Australia runs on natural gas" campaign, which includes a political authorization message from Samantha McCulloch, CEO of Australian Energy Producers, was also shown. The Guardian reported that this ad has since been stopped.

Additionally, a Minerals Council advertisement featuring a Medicare card on a mining truck was also removed, though an alternative ad from the council continued to run.

"Stop the Chop" Campaign Denied

The Adelaide Park Lands Association sought to run advertisements promoting its "Stop the Chop" campaign, which aims to prevent tree removal around the city's parks.

Mat Monti, the association's president, said a billboard had been booked for the main exit from the airport, but the association was informed last Friday that the advertisement was declined.

Bob Brown Foundation: Ads Pulled Mid-Run

The Bob Brown Foundation had advertisements running in four locations from July 20 to July 26, but was told they would no longer appear from noon on July 23 after a decision by the airport.

The ads showed a logged forest area with text stating: "The majority of Australians want an end to native forest logging."

JCDecaux informed the foundation that the campaign was pulled at the airport's request, as the airport owns the land and has final say on advertising.

Bob Brown described the actions as "Trump-lite behavior" and called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to insist on the reinstatement of the ads.

Guardian Australia requested comment from JCDecaux.