Another day, another thing that could be banned

There have been some notable ‘bans’ in Australia’s history.

From the gun controls after the Port Arthur Massacre to the recent (and subsequently overturned) ban on greyhound racing in New South Wales, each one brings with it fierce campaigns for and against, and each one comes with the same claims that our politicians are turning us into a “nanny state”.

While some bans can make sense for health and safety reasons, for those of us more mature folk, some of the bans seem to just be crazy.

After all, we’re the generation who played with lead toys, lived in houses that had asbestos in them and rode around the streets on our bikes without helmets on.

Did you read the other day about a Heinz ad being banned because it showed people drumming on baked bean cans?

Apparently it was banned because viewers could cut themselves on used cans copying the ad.

Then of course there’s the bans on everything from where you can smoke to where you can drink, where you can take your pets, what you can wear when entering certain clubs and casinos and many, many more.

So, what are they talking about banning this time?

Well,  the Queensland Government is proposing a ban on single-use plastic shopping bags.

The ABC reported on Friday that the plan, supported by Labor and the LNP, would see single use plastic bags banned by 2018.

And Queensland is pushing for New South Wales and Victoria to follow suit to create an “east coast ban”.

South Australia, the Northern Territory, the ACT and Tasmania all have plastic bag bans already.

So in an age when we hear constantly about cutting red tape from politician, there are still endless restrictions and bans on certain things.

Does it ever make you wonder when it will stop? Where is the line in the sand?

What do you think about this?