Petition to Holden GM to ban the latest Ute commercial that brands Traffic Reporters as Muppets

To Holden,

The latest Holden “Thunder Ute” TV commercial, talking about the included feature of traffic alerts and state that its included where you used to get them from (and I quote) "Muppets in a helicopter".. Obviously referring to Traffic Reporters (then showing a cut-away shot of a cleared “stressed out and stunned” person in a helicopter holding a microphone.

I am either a Traffic Reporter or a Colleague of one, and I find your comments as above not only insulting to Traffic Reporters, their my work colleagues and the industry but also take serious exemption to the fact that you have clearly used the remarks and vision in a derogatory manner. I further resent the way in which you have referred to us as "Muppets in a Helicopter".

Traffic Reporters work very hard every single day to compile and present valuable traffic information that assists commuters in their every day travels. While they are up hard at work before the sun even comes up, most other people are tucked in bed still. They are often exposed to often horrific scenes on the roads, but they do their jobs with professionalism and integrity. During the QLD floods for example, they were all were working some 20 hours a day each ensuring valuable information was delivered to the public as soon as it came to hand. They are also occasionally called on by the Police to assist them from the sky in their helicopters in apprehending criminals and search and recovery operations. You have the audacity to insult them and call them Muppets.

Traffic Reporters, including myself and like my colleagues are dedicated, professional and hard working individuals. Traffic Reporters are passionate about their jobs and the service they do for the public. To be called “Muppets” by a company who used to be referred to as “a great Aussie institution” is simply unacceptable and just plain insulting and degrading.

Your response to a similar complaint lodged with you was met with “We believe there is nothing wrong with it, and doesn’t violate any codes of practice”. Well, we are here to tell you that it violates the rights of Traffic reporters to be treated with respect