After attracting controversy over recent years, the 2018 summer lamb ad sees political left and right 'gangs' face off in a West Side Story-style musical number.

The left, dressed in red hues, and the right, dressed in blue, dance battle down a suburban street.

"If you’re right, you think equal rights are wrong – it’s Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve," sings one member of the right cohort.

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Team left responds with: "the ice caps are melting, the seas are rising, we find your ignorance very surprising."

Expectedly, the two factions eventually unite over a barbeque.

The MLA Twitter account claimed that the ad "inspires people to put aside their differences, big and small, and come together over lamb."

Some social media users felt it was "quite clever" or even "loved it."

The lamb ad. I'm into it. Can all politics now be played out musical theatre style? People would definitely have to think more about what they were saying if they had to first write it into a song with 👌🏻 choreography — Kate Ausburn (@kateausburn) January 11, 2018

OK I’m the only person in Australia who loves the lamb ad - you do realise it’s just an ad and not a commentary on the existential political crisis gripping the nation via Leonard Bernstein don’t you? don’t you? — marcus kelson (@marcuskelson) January 11, 2018

While others weren't as kind.

after seeing the latest lamb ad i've decided to become vegetarian. — lehmo (@lehmo23) January 11, 2018

TERRIBLE lamb ad from @meatlivestock. How disappointing, as a #PR professional I look forward to it yearly. Political beliefs are not finite. You can classify yourself as right wing & still believe in gay marriage & be left wing & concerned about terrorism https://t.co/bYrE9iaGUE — davinarapaport (@davinarapaport) January 11, 2018

i think the lamb ad people should take a year off — A Busy Dad (@mtats) January 10, 2018

But - at least for now - there has been far less controversy than previous instalments.

Last year, several complaints were made to the Advertising Standards Bureau after an MLA lamb ad featured actors portraying Jesus, Lord Ganesh, L. Ron Hubbard and Buddha.

At the time, Hindu Council of Australia spokesperson Balesh Dhankhar told SBS News he was "very hurt and angry about this ad campaign."

Facebook/MLA

"The reason being the Hindu community cannot imagine their deity, Lord Ganesh in this case, as eating meat … [it’s] very insulting," he said.

The High Commission of India in Canberra even issued a statement, calling the imagery "offensive."

The MLA later issued a letter apologising for "any offence taken."