Australian Christian Lobby want billboards censored

The Queensland government is holding public hearings into whether to tighten regulation of sexually explicit billboards to protect children.

Sexually explicit billboards are distorting children's innocence and their views of women, the Australian Christian Lobby says.

The Queensland government is holding public hearings into whether sexually explicit and inappropriate outdoor advertising should be censored to protect children.

Of the 175 submissions to the inquiry, only seven don't want change and three of those are from advertisers, the hearing has been told.

Currently, outdoor advertising is largely self-regulated.

ACL Queensland director Wendy Francis says the system is broken and she's frustrated that little can be done to ban shocking images.

She presented a series of slides, including one of a 2.4m ad of a woman in lingerie with the words "flash me" and "tasty treats" at a local shopping mall.

Ms Francis says the images distort what is viewed as beauty and affects the self-esteem of youngsters.

"They need to know that the objectification of women is wrong and the photoshopped, posing model is not normal, nor what they should aspire to," she told the hearing.

"Our society has become immune to the sex-saturated environment that we have developed.

"We have failed to realise our children are growing up normalised to it.

"They are bombarded daily by images of sexual poses and messages that objectify woman, removing from them the innocence of childhood they deserve."

Further hearings will be held on August 21.


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Source: AAP


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