The Atheist Foundation of Australia wanted to put up this billboard in most states to encourage atheists to mark “No Religion” on the 2011 census (thereby taking some federal money away from religious groups):

They paid Billboards Australia a deposit and signed a contract.

The company is now backtracking, saying they won’t put up the billboards because they’re “too political”:

The site owner at Queanbeyan has reneged on the deal now, months after the message was made known to Billboards Australia by the AFA. President of the AFA David Nicholls said, “We have been refused billboard advertising space in Queanbeyan, NSW on the excuse that our sign is a political message. It is not. It is a message directing Australians to answer the Census question on religion accurately.” … Nicholls added, “The AFA is not advocating that the population vote for any particular party or in any particular manner. This is not a political advertisement. “It is another example where, because Australia doesn’t have a Bill of Rights, arbitrary discrimination is possible.”

Telling the truth is “too political”? Who knew. (I thought it was the opposite…)

No word yet on if AFA will be filing a lawsuit.

