Council receives complaint over ‘offensive’ campervan slogan in Timaru

Stuff co.nz 21 March 2016
Outrage over “highly offensive” slogans printed on the back of Wicked Campers campervans has reached Timaru.
The slogans have courted controversy in recent years over their perceived references to sexual violence and drug use.
The Timaru District Council confirmed on Monday that it had received a complaint about a slogan, spotted on the back of a campervan parked in Timaru in early March, that was deemed “abhorrent” and “offensive” by a Timaru resident.
Family First national director Bob McCoskrie said the organisation had written to the Timaru District Council following the complaint.
The slogan read ‘A wet dream is just a hand job from God’.
In the complaint, which was emailed to Family First, the woman says the slogan was “blatantly abhorrent” to Christians and Muslims alike.
“I am a committed Christian and am very upset,” her email says.
“I almost went and bought a can of spray paint but then common sense reminds me that I’d be breaking the law.”
McCoskrie then emailed the Timaru District Council to make a formal complaint about the “highly offensive” signage.
“We would argue that the council has control over the design and content of signage around Timaru, including on vehicles such as Wicked Campers,” he says in the email.
Council chief executive Peter Nixon confirmed the council had received one complaint.
“We are investigating how other councils are dealing with the matter as sign-writing on vehicles is not a “sign” in a bylaw or consent way.
“As the problem, and solution, is a NZ-wide matter it may well be that the Government will need to address the concern.”
READ MORE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/78115892/council-receives-complaint-over-offensive-campervan-slogan-in-timaru