Adelaide City Council Reverses Fossil Fuel Advertising Ban After Backlash

During a council meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Lord Mayor Carmel Noon successfully introduced a special motion to revoke the ban in its entirety. The motion passed by eight votes to two, effectively overturning the council’s earlier decision.

Defending the reversal, Noon argued that the council should fully understand the implications of major policy decisions before implementing them.

“We should not make the decision first and find out the consequences afterwards,” she said.

The sudden policy shift prompted criticism and humor from some councillors. Speaking in support of revoking the ban, councillor Arman Abrahumzadeh joked that council members would “deserve a spot in the national gymnastics team given the backflip that we’ve made.”

The controversy stems from a vote held two weeks earlier that approved plans to prohibit advertisements from oil, coal and gas companies on council-controlled assets, including bus shelters, banners and billboards, beginning in July 2027.

The proposed ban quickly attracted opposition from business groups and state government figures, particularly due to concerns about its potential impact on the Tour Down Under, Australia’s premier cycling event, whose major sponsor is energy company Santos.

Council administration also raised concerns about the policy in advice presented alongside Noon’s motion. Officials questioned both the legal validity of the proposed ban and the practical challenges associated with implementing and enforcing it.

The reversal highlights the growing debate over climate-related policies, corporate sponsorship and advertising restrictions, as local governments attempt to balance environmental objectives with economic, legal and commercial considerations.

With the ban now scrapped, fossil fuel companies will continue to be permitted to advertise across council-owned public spaces unless a new policy is introduced in the future.