Update on my fight with Coles Express

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Shell Servo - would you like porn with that sir?

For my first post, I will share with you a letter recently written to Shell Servo, at Arana Hills in Qld. I haven't heard back from them yet. But will update when I do.

A few issues raised here. Firstly, I would be quite the sleazebag if I left a magazine like this lying around on my coffee table, or if I decided to read it while waiting for my kids at pick up time. Yet having it on display at a servo is supposed to be ok? *Is* Shell an adults only venue? Anyway, the letter is self explanatory. Enjoy. Comment.

I use your service station at Arana Hills as a matter of habit. It is convenient for me and the staff are great.

However, I wish to express my disgust with some of the magazines you have in your Arana Hills service station on Patricks Road.

I walked into your store today to find that things have changed. All the magazines are now on display in one place, lined up, to the right of the counter, at children's eye level. On the left of this display were magazines like woman's day etc. On the right were a number of pornographic magazines, with titles like "Zoo" "People" "Picture" etc. All porn titles featuring highly sexualised, degrading photos and captions on the front covers. The newest addition to your range I have noticed includes a magazine titled "Nuts." The front of this magazine, is similar to the others. It seemed more explicit in nature today though, with stark naked women posed in various positions on beds, on the front cover of the magazine.

I would like to ask the following question: Is Shell service station an adults only venue? Because it sure looked like one today. I would like to know if when I pay for petrol, I really have to walk my children past a display of adult pornographic magazines. You would be aware that there are laws and common sense that prohibit me from leaving children in the car. There's a word for what people are doing when they show pornographic magazines to children, it's called "grooming." I would like to know how that is different from what Shell is currently doing with their open display of magazines that are intended for adults only. I look forward to a response indicating that you will remove the magazines altogether, as other service stations have made moves in this direction. I really would rather not have to stop using Shell service station, but feel that children being exposed to pornographic material is so serious and so unacceptable that I cannot support any company that does so.