Foul-mouthed Aussies sully 100% Pure image

A New Zealand tourism website turned 100 Per cent Puerile, when offensive language was posted on it by a teen employed by a "quirky Australian" campervan firm.

A visitor to the Christchurch tourism i-SITE complained to the Advertising Standards Authority when confronted with a flyer for Wicked Campers, which specialises in rental vans for backpackers.

"What the F*** are you waiting for??!! You should try it at least once!" text toward the end of the flyer read.

The advertisement had been placed without permission on the site, the complainant M Taylor said.

It used extremely offensive language "completely inappropriate for any type of business - especially tourism!"

Wicked Campers, which offers one-day free hire to clients who turn up naked then posts photos of them on its website, said a teen worker had "unwittingly" placed the flyer.

It had been edited "straight away", taking out the offensive language, then redistributed.

Wicked Campers said it had not intended to offend and apologised.

In Australia, the company has offended with its gaudy painted vans, painted with off-colour slogans, such as "If God was a woman, sperm would taste like chocolate".

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh last year lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Bureau over what she called obscene slogans on the vans.

Wicked Campers were treading a fine line by thumbing their noses at the standards of "ordinary, decent Queenslanders", she said.

The company responded by citing free speech and making the vans even more offensive.

- NZPA