Municipality of Yarra implements fossil ad ban

Who: Municipality of Yarra, Australia.

What: A motion to investigate how to ban fossil ads. The motion passed in April 2022 and a fossil ad ban is implemented in July 2023

When: April 2022 - July 2023

Yarra City became the first Council in Australia to move to restrict the promotion of fossil fuels on council-run property. In July 2023, the council unanimously voted to implement advertising restrictions.

Implementation (July 2023)

Councillors approved a staff report which recommended:

1. That Council:

(a) not permit advertising on Council property which specifically promotes fossil fuels, or by companies which extract, produce and/or refine fossil fuels;

(b) notes the definitions of ‘fossil fuels’ and ‘Council property’ as provided in the Council report which provide the scope of this resolution; and

(c) notes that that agreements with third parties relating to this initiative would not come into place until such time as agreements and leases are renewed or negotiated.

The ban includes AFL ground Victoria Park and will affect future contracts with AFL teams.

Passed motion (April 2022)

The following Notice of Motion was passed unanimously:

1. That Yarra Council not support the advertising of companies involved in the production or supply of fossil fuels on council property, consistent with its Climate Emergency Plan.
2. That Council call for an officer report on the implications of not permitting advertising for companies involved in the production or supply of fossil fuels on council property, and a process for phasing this in.
3. That this report be presented to Council no later than the July 12th Council Meeting.