Advertisements for alcohol and fast food could be banned from bus shelters in the town of Melville, despite fears the move would turn the local government into a “nanny state”.

The council voted 7-5 in favor of a proposal from councilor Terry Lee at Tuesday’s meeting that officers prepare a report on the effect of banning alcohol and “unhealthy food” ads at local bus shelters.

“Are we comfortable profiting from non-illegal but unhealthy advertisements like alcohol, fast food and video games?” he asked.

Similar bans were considered and even recommended by the town of Canning 18 months ago, but its mayor and council abandoned the plan and said it was up to the state and federal governments to establish compliance laws .

“Until the state and federal governments take the lead on these issues, I wonder why the small town of Canning would impose restrictive covenants on businesses that are not engaged in any illegal activity,” said the mayor of Canning. Canning, Patrick Hall, during last year’s deliberations.

Cr Lee’s motion included statistics from a WA Department of Health profile on Melville, which showed 41 per cent of adults in the district aged 16 and over were overweight or obese in October 2023.

Nearly 30 percent of adults also ate at fast food establishments each week and 21 percent drank alcohol at levels that put them at risk of long-term harm.

Cr Lee’s motion claimed public advertising included subliminal messages that affected people’s “conscious and unconscious” decision-making.

“It is expected that this advertising will provide a source of revenue for the town, but there is a balance that must be considered in terms of the health and well-being of the residents of the town of Melville,” he said. he declared in his memoir.

Councilor Daniel Lim said the council should act because the advertising industry was operating under “ineffective” self-regulated codes of practice.

“By doing so, I believe you will protect the children of the town of Melville…from exposure to alcohol and unhealthy food advertising,” he said.

“To ensure our children can safely walk to school, attend community events and play weekend sports without being influenced by harmful marketing.”

But councilor Matthew Woodall said the motion was outside the council’s remit and could see the city essentially become a “nanny state” where people “can and cannot make up their own minds”.

He said alcohol and food such as pizza and sausages were served at events in town or by local sports clubs.

“I think the question is where do we draw the line? he asked.

“We allow the consumption of these things on city premises and facilities.”

Mayor Katy Mair said the city had 58 bus shelters and seven featured advertisements for alcohol and fast food.

Councilor Tomas Fitzgerald said banning the ads would mean the city was “voting with its wallet.”

“Local governments, state governments and federal governments are important players in the market,” he said.

“That’s actually our role, that’s the free market at work.”

“We are not banning anything. We don’t make anyone’s choices.

Officers will prepare a report for the March 2025 meeting.