‘Controversial’ anti-abortion billboard erected on NSW highway

Posted on July 25, 2019 
Filed under Culture wars

“An anti-abortion ad that was banned from the side of buses is causing controversy again after it was erected on a billboard next to a highway on the NSW north coast. …

Last month, Transport Minister Andrew Constance said he was ‘appalled’ by the same ad, which shows an image of a pregnant woman’s stomach, alongside the phrase: ‘A heart beats at four weeks’. …”

– Story from MSN news, 24 July 2019.

See also: Ooh dumps Emily’s Voice billboard – Emily’s Voice, 25 July 2019.

“We are disappointed Ooh Media has buckled to pressure, removing the Emily’s Voice heart billboard from the Pacific Highway in Belmont NSW. …

Ooh has fallen into line with NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance who banned our ads from Newcastle buses after a Facebook complaint.

Ooh told the Daily Mail the billboard had been reviewed before posting and did not contravene its guidelines, but after public complaints and media attention, decided the message, ‘A heart beats at four weeks’ alongside the image of a woman making a heart over her pregnant belly, ‘could cause offence to a significant section of the community’ and did contravene its guidelines.

We still don’t understand what’s so offensive about the scientifically accurate statement that an unborn baby has a heartbeat 22 days from conception. There’s no mention of abortion, no gruesome images or condemnation of any kind. …

The Minister is ‘investigating’ how our ads made it on to buses, but remains silent on truly abhorrent messages on hire vehicles.

He is appalled by our message yet didn’t intervene to ban recent bus ads for a Newcastle pregnancy support centre, or ads telling women not to drink while pregnant. What’s the difference?” (Read it all.)