circus promo falls flat

Calls to change laws as circus promo falls flat

BY ALEX PURCELL

CALLS are being made for the revision of a local law after The Great Moscow Circus was forced to take down its inflatable clowns because they didn’t comply with Noosa Council’s endorsed advertising signage policy, which was ratified by the previous council.

Several inflatable 3D clowns were removed from private properties across the Noosa Shire, causing uproar in the community.

The Great Moscow Circus marketing manager Mark Edgley told the Cooroy Rag that the bylaw definitely needed to be looked at.

“With the local law in place for outdoor advertising, I would understand if our clowns were on Council land. But they are on private properties," Mr Edgley said.

“I’d understand if they were on people’s properties without their approval, but the people have approved them and they pay their rates and taxes.”

Under the local law, any type of signage erected within the Noosa Shire without a permit is also prohibited signage. This includes signs on Council land or private property.

The local law also covers event signage, specifying that event signage must not exceed six signs and must not exceed 900mm x 600 mm in size.

Development Assessment Manager Kerri Coyle said the local law on advertising signage was introduced in February 2020, with the purpose to preserve the look and feel of Noosa’s unique environment.

“We received a number of complaints about the inflatable signage and under the local law, inflatable and third-party signs (signs for someone else's business/ event on your property) are prohibited in Noosa,” she said.

Mr Edgley said nine out of 10 people loved the clowns.

“I understand that certain things go on and people push boundaries, and that upsets people, but we don’t do that. We make sure advertising clowns are neat and clean and 99 per cent of the community support us.”

Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart said she first became aware there was an issue with the clowns when she was contacted by a person in whose yard a clown was located.

“I requested information from staff regarding why they were being removed and it was then that I was advised it was because they didn’t comply with the Advertising Signage Policy endorsed in February 2020 by the previous council.

“I was so concerned and with hands effectively tied, I called for a round table meeting with councillors and the current CEO, outlining my concerns in light of ‘The Great Moscow Fiasco’.

“This policy needs to be looked at and there is an opportunity for this council to revisit certain aspects of the signage policy in the future.”

Mr Edgley said this was the first time The Great Moscow Circus had visited Noosa in over 10 years.

“We pay a good fee to come here and bring money to the community. To be told that we can’t advertise, well then, what’s the point?

“These clowns are our main form of advertising and as soon as we put them up, ticket sales go up. When we pull them down, people think we’ve left town.

“It’s disappointing. This will hurt our business and other businesses. Why should that happen when we're not hurting anyone?

“We’ve been in lockdown for eight months, with the art industry having been hit hard. We respect local laws but would appreciate some government and local authority support.”

The famous animal-free circus is in Noosa at the Noosa Pirates Complex in Tewantin until Sunday, March 6.

A clown feeling down in Noosa. Picture: Tanya Stevens

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