Brisbane airport bans corruption billboard ad ahead of G20

When world leaders arrive in the Australian city of Brisbane for a major economic summit, local airport authorities do not want them to see billboard ads that have “political intent.” Brisbane Airport Corp. said on Monday that a World Wildlife Fund ad asking leaders of wealthy and developing countries to put climate change on the agenda of their G20 summit next week had been banned. On Tuesday, they revealed that an ad proposed by anti-corruption group Transparency International had also been banned, even though fighting corruption features prominently on the G20 agenda.

Sometimes what is or isn’t political is a judgment call.

Airport spokeswoman Leonie Vandeven

The two ads were the only G-20-related advertising to be banned at the airport. Transparency International had wanted an ad saying “Dirty Money Not Welcome Here” on a roadside billboard on the airport exit road. Transparency International spokeswoman Maggie Murphy said the censorship was disappointing after her organization had been effectively engaged with G20 governments and businesses for the past year on reducing corruption. She said she had not been given an explanation for why the message was deemed to be too political.

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