Firefighter Dean McNulty poses in front of a billboard on which he features, in Brisbane, Australia, that asks leaders of wealthy and developing countries to put climate change on the agenda of their G20 summit next week. AP
CANBERRA, Australia鈥擜 day after saying a billboard advertisement highlighting climate change was too political for world leaders gathering in the Australian city of Brisbane for a major economic summit, local airport authorities said Tuesday that they had also rejected an ad highlighting corruption problems.
Brisbane Airport Corp. confirmed Monday that a World Wildlife Fund ad asking leaders of wealthy and developing countries to put climate change on the agenda of their G20 summit next week had been banned because it had 鈥減olitical intent.鈥�
Airport management revealed Tuesday that an ad proposed by global anti-corruption group Transparency International had also been banned on the same basis, even though fighting corruption features prominently on the G20 agenda.
鈥淪ometimes what is or isn鈥檛 political is a judgment call,鈥� airport spokeswoman Leonie Vandeven said in a statement.
The two ads were the only G-20-related advertising to be banned at the airport, she said.
Transparency International had wanted an ad saying 鈥淒irty Money Not Welcome Here鈥� on a roadside billboard on the airport exit road.
Transparency International spokeswoman Maggie Murphy said the censorship was disappointing after her organization had been effectively engaged with G20 governments and businesses for the past year on reducing corruption.
She said she had not been given an explanation for why the message was deemed to be too political.
WWF on Monday launched a billboard ad on a Brisbane street close to the G20 venue after the airport rejected a similar digital billboard ad in its international arrivals hall.
The outdoor ad features Australian firefighter Dean McNulty with the caption: 鈥淎ction on climate change is #onmyagenda. Please put it on yours.鈥�
Australia is chairing the G20 summit and has resisted pressure from countries, including the United States, to include climate change on the economic forum鈥檚 agenda.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott鈥檚 14-month-old government has been widely criticized for repealing a carbon tax which had been paid by 350 of Australia鈥檚 worst greenhouse gas polluters.