A requirement that all advertising signs be in English has been scrapped by Wollongong City councillors.
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But one councillor said the decision was "politically correctness gone absolutely haywire".
A draft development control plan (DCP) for advertising signage went before city councillors on Monday night.
One clause in the draft DCP caused concern for Cr Mithra Cox; it stated "All advertising signs and structures are to be displayed in the English language."
The clause also allows for a translation in another language to be placed below the English.
A council officer told councillors the clause had been part of the DCP for some time and had been rolled over into updated documents.
Cr Cox pointed to an NRMA billboard at Heathcote which uses Dharawal language and which would not be allowed under the Wollongong guidelines.
'Similarly, it wouldn't allow you to advertise your yum cha restaurant, you wouldn't be allowed to advertise taekwondo, jiu-jitsu, kung fu or the Shiva festival at Helensburgh," Cr Cox said.
"God help us if La Traviata came to Merrigong theatre. We'd have to tell the German club they couldn't promote Oktoberfest.
"Coming up Corrimal Street this afternoon there's a Primavera flower shop - that would be gone too."
She called the clause "really outdated and quite ridiculous" and noted that advertising signs were used to tell people about a business - and would usually be in English anyway.
Cr Dom Figliomeni objected to the removal of the clause, noting it allowed for another language beneath the English which he said was "the best of both worlds".
He added that he was "proud to speak English" and that "99.9999 per cent" of Australians understood English.
"What's the cringe with councillors about it being in English?" he asked.
"I'm just lost - I just think political correctness has got absolutely haywire, it's gone mad and it's gone stupid. I understand English. I'm proud to say I understand English ... I don't see what the problem is in saying it's got to be in English but provide whatever other language you want."
Lord Mayor Cr Gordon Bradbery suggested the clause referred to English script - as opposed to those that uses other characters - rather than a requirement that all signage be written in English.
Liberal councillor John Dorahy was also against scrapping the clause and put forward an amendment that would leave it in place.
That amendment was defeated with only Cr Dorahy and fellow Liberals Cameron Walters and Elisha Aitken along with Cr Figliomeni voting for it.
The relevant clause will now be removed from the draft DCP on advertising signage and council will then put it out for public exhibition for 28 days.
After that time a report on feedback will be prepared for councillors.
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