Logos, designs, emblems and commercial branding could be banned from clothing and other items at sports games and big events in the ACT, as the government moves to protect organisers and corporate sponsors from "ambush marketing".
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Under new laws to be introduced to the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, the use of protected symbols and advertising content near venues, including Manuka Oval and Canberra Stadium, would be strictly controlled when a major event declaration was made by the Attorney-General.
Individuals could face charges in the ACT Magistrates Court for streaking and pitch invasions, and scalping of tickets for inflated profits by buyers or syndicates would be made illegal.
Attorney-General Simon Corbell said the proposed laws would better position the ACT to host major events, amid preparation for international sporting fixtures, including the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup and the Cricket World Cup next year.
He said individuals would not be banned from entering if their clothing or other items carried rival branding or logos and normal advertising by nearby businesses would not be blocked.
"It would obviously depend on if there was a deliberate attempt to try and infiltrate a particular logo into a venue en masse. The incidental or inadvertent wearing of such logos is not captured by these provisions."
Mr Corbell said allowing advertising and intellectual-property rights protection at declared events gave appropriate safeguards for corporate sponsors and event organisers.
The bill will also repeal major events security legislation passed before the Sydney 2000 Olympics, allowing additional electronic screening of people and bags on arrival and to give venue operators the ability to eject patrons and prevent them from re-entering during an event.
"Canberra is an emerging market for major events," Mr Corbell said. "It is common for these types of laws to be in place in other cities around the country, less so in Canberra, but with the arrival of major national and international sporting fixtures we do need to put these types of arrangements into place."
Re-selling of tickets at market value would not be banned by the proposed laws, and Mr Corbell said only those selling tickets in "black market" operations should fear the changes.
"We are seeking to stop those instances where unscrupulous individuals or syndicates buy up large numbers of tickets for a popular event and then sell them at highly inflated prices," he said.
"That's the type of activity we are dealing with, not when people want to on-sell their ticket."
Buyers would be allowed to re-sell tickets at the original sale price where they are unable to attend and Mr Corbell said legitimate re-selling businesses will not be blocked from operating.
On Monday, online ticket-trading website Viagogo expressed concern about the impact of the new laws, first signalled by Deputy Chief Minister Andrew Barr last week.
If passed by the Assembly, the laws will bring the ACT into line with other jurisdictions and meet requirements of some commercial agreements for major event and sporting competitions.