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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Sarah Lansdown

ACT government orders 'political' school bus ads to be removed

Should seatbelts be compulsory on buses?

Brindabella Christian College advertising has been removed from two public buses because it was considered "political in nature".

The bus advertisements stated the school was "blitzing the educational landscape in Canberra against all odds".

It featured a blue and red ribbon design with silhouettes of crocodiles.

Board chair Greg Zwajgenberg said the school was advised of a perceived breach of the ACT government guidelines based on it being "political in nature."

"It would seem we struck a raw nerve due to our preparing a case for the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which as a result of revelations this week will now include submissions to be presented to the ACT Integrity Commission," Mr Zwajgenberg said.

"What has not received the media coverage it should, is the fact that in the past few weeks the AAT negligently and significantly breached our College privacy to vexatious individuals on two seperate (sic) occasions, and the Department of Education on another seperate (sic) occasion.

"This will now only lead to vexatious attempts to create further anti-Brindabella media coverage, initiated by these people who don't have a life and call themselves Christian."

Advertisements for Brindabella Christian College were pulled off two articulated buses at the direction of the ACT government. Picture supplied

An ACT government spokeswoman said the advertising that was in breach of the rules appeared on two articulated buses, but would not say which rules the advertising breached.

"The ACT government reserves the right to not allow advertising proposals on public transport," the spokeswoman said.

Transport Canberra directed the contractor responsible for booking bus advertising, Go Transit, to remove the advertising and to give the school an opportunity to replace the artwork.

Under the ACT government's guidelines, transport advertising must not portray or promote something of a political or religious nature.

Ads that are political in nature but related to a specific subject or issue may be considered on a case-by-case basis, the guidelines state.

Mr Zwajgenberg vowed to refer Education Department officials to the new federal anti-corruption agency following a lengthy appeal against regulatory action in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

A delegate for the federal education minister decided in 2021 that the school's proprietor, Brindabella Christian Education Limited, was not fit and proper to be an approved authority for a school.

The school appealed this decision which culminated in a tribunal hearing in April.

This ended with the school agreeing to meet a series of conditions relating to financial management and governance.

Meanwhile, a group of former and current parents, teachers and executive staff formed an association to lobby for the school to overhaul its constitution and governance structure.

Mr Zwajgenberg said the school intended to begin a new advertising campaign.

"As to the crocodile campaign being removed, it will now allow us to move forward with our exciting next bus campaign that will advertise the college's new AI Robotics STEAM Centre to be created in our Norwest Campus for 2024," he said.

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