Everyone knows someone who is really into their car. A popular and easy way to personalise your pride and joy is getting custom plates, however our state offers a very limited range of colour choices to choose from. This is particularly frustrating considering that our fellow Aussies in other states enjoy a broader selection. Speaking with other car enthusiasts here in SA, it seems like everyone agrees.

In SA, we currently have less than 30 options for our custom plates.  This pales in comparison to our neighbouring states, with WA having nearly 80, and VIC, NSW and QLD each with over 100 design choices. Not only do we have significantly less designs to choose from, but the colours we do have to select from are quite frankly, pretty lackluster. 

There is no denying the growing popularity of personalised license plates in Australia over the years. In fact, a 2017 survey found that approximately 20% of Australian drivers have personalized plates (Australian Bureau of Statistics), highlighting the importance for many in expressing their personal style and identity through their vehicles. But this expression should not be conditional and varied across different states. It should be a right enjoyed by all, equally.

Black background plates are among the most popular. Driving around SA, you can't go far without seeing someone who has opted for a premium or custom plate sporting a black background, but the only colour options for the characters are white, silver and gold. These 3 options are extremely underwhelming, especially when compared to QLDs Electric Range, WAs Intense Range, NSWs Colour on Black Range and VICs vast range of colours on black choices. Other states also give options for Sports teams and Novelty ranges, Indigenous design choices, Pastels colours, Iconic Aussie designs, even a Glam range (QLD).

More colour choices for cars custom plates would not only satisfy the aesthetic desires of car owners like myself, but would also stimulate creativity and allow a fuller, richer display of personal identity on our roads.

Given other states capabilities to have an abundance of plate design choices, I can't see why our state's choices should be so underwhelming. Surely it can't have anything to do with visibility or the law, given other states would be using the same plate recognition equipment as we do? And if not, that sounds like a bigger issue for SA entirely. 

Therefore, I urge you to join me in calling on our state to expand the colour selection for vehicle custom plates. Sign this petition and help us bring more colour to our roads.

SA:

 

 

 

 

QLD:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WA:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIC:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NSW: