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Two Kiwi Radio Hosts Are Trying To Get Wicked Campers Off The Roads

Two Kiwi Radio Hosts Are Trying To Get Wicked Campers Off The Roads
Fairfax NZ

The drive to remove wicked slander from campervans on Australian and New Zealand roads is greater than ever before.

Founded in Brisbane by John Webb, Australian-based rental car company -- Wicked Campers -- have repeatedly attracted criticism for the offensive slogans spray painted onto their vans.

But New Zealand's More FM breakfast radio hosts, Gary McCormick and Simon Barnett, are adamant about putting a stop to the insulting messages.

The duo are after 100,000 Likes on their Facebook video to get the campers banned, repainted or taken off the road for their 'repugnant' messages.

A 100,000 'likes' to stop Wicked CampersUPDATE: Many are asking why 100k likes. 100k likes was just a significant...

Posted by Si & Gary on Sunday, March 20, 2016

New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, will join McCormick and Barnett on their show on Thursday morning to discuss the issue.

Barnett told The Huffington Post Australia the 'power' of social media prompted the pair's social media campaign to show how offensive the Wicked vans' messages are.

"I'm totally down with having fun and a laugh, but this is really vile and you can't turn a blind eye. It's visual pollution," Barnett said.

"I'm a dad of four kids and I don't want to have to explain what the term 'blow job' means or 'a wet dream is just god giving you a hand job'."

Kaiteriteri Beach Motor Camp -- in the Abel Tasman National Park -- is one campground taking a stand to ban the camper vans from their grounds for their derogatory messages.

Grada Anderson -- the office administrator at the camp -- said the slogans opposed the spirit of the site.

"The office staff and ground-staff have all been talking with management about it and agree those signs go against the grain of how we see ourselves as a family campground with high standards," Anderson said

"When I hear campgrounds taking that stance, it's brilliant.

"That's the best way for this clown to stop having offensive slogans like this on his vans because sooner or later the dollars will dry up," Barnett said.

The NZ Department of Conservation is also involved in the targeted attack on the contentious camper vans.

All rental campervans require campsite passes in NZ, which can be found and purchased through the DOC's website. In their attack, the DOC has removed Wicked Campers from its list of rental companies.

A DOC spokesman said: "The ministers have been clear they find these slogans to be sleazy, misogynistic and offensive."

The spokesman said the DOC were also assessing if they could cease the camper van company from supplying campsite passes.

Barnett said he heard through the campaign of tourists being abused for what was written on their vans.

"There were instances where tourists had requested a different van with non-derogatory slogans from Wicked and the guy said 'I don't give a s**t'.

"My suspicion is this guy is so arrogant he assumes this is great publicity and he's just going to carry on," Barnett said.

In 2014, former Byron Bay journalist, Lucy Clark was personally intimidated in a slogan on a Wicked Camper following a critical article she wrote about the company.

The slogan read: "Dear Lucy ... I can already imagine the gaffa tape on your mouth."

Wicked Campers claimed the slogan was done by an employee and the owner was unaware of it. The company apologised to Clark by email.

Barnett stressed the level of offence of the Wicked vans' slogans and their impact on the community.

"We love to have a good time, but this is really really vile and they are homophobic, racist, xenophobic messages being displayed on our roads," Barnett said.

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