Queensland woman Marie Bennett has been fined by local council for putting a “for sale” sign on her vehicle. It is something she had seen on countless other cars and had thought it was quite legal. However, little did Ms Bennett know that there was a local law forbidding the sale of vehicles on “local government controlled areas and roads”. The amount of the fine was $220.
Flabbergasted at the amount, Ms Bennett sought advice from a solicitor. The solicitor told her that the ability of council to enforce the fine (should she decide to contest it in court) would depend on the size of the sign and how it was attached to the vehicle. The lawyer said “if it has a for sale sign on the back window but just happens to be parked outside home or work, that is not an offence. But it you wrap a large "For Sale" banner across the front windscreen it is pretty obvious the main reason for doing so is to advertise the vehicle for sale in which case you would be breaching the law”.
A fact sheet on the council website suggests that the law is aimed at preventing an unsightly environment and posing a risk to motorists by slowing down traffic and distracting drivers.
