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'Crass' Anzac Day wet T-shirt contest in Darwin bar cancelled after backlash

The offending Monsoons bar poster - Monsoons
The offending Monsoons bar poster - Monsoons

A bar in Australia's Northern Territory admitted that having a wet T-shirt contest as part of Anzac Day celebrations was a "naive approach and lack of proper thought" as it cancelled the competition.

The contest, which was meant to be held on Tuesday, was advertised on Facebook by Darwin's Monsoons nightclub as part of an "Anzac Day beach party".

The day marks the landing of thousands of troops from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey on April 25, 1915.

A military band marches during the National Ceremony held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra - Credit: Barcroft
A military band marches during the National Ceremony held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra Credit: Barcroft

The ill-fated military campaign against the Turks has become an important anniversary to remember troops from both countries who served and died in war.

Don Milford, Darwin's RSL (Returned and Services League) president, said the idea of a wet T-shirt contest connected to Anzac Day was "the crassest thing (he’d) heard", local news reported.

“It's very inappropriate and I would have thought the management of Monsoons had a bit better common sense than that,” he said.

“I’m disappointed that an organisation in Darwin would be so stupid to do something like that.”

Mr Milford suggested a better way to commemorate the day.

"Just remember the fallen, a lot of people gave their lives.

"We've lost a lot of men and we're still losing them in conflicts overseas, but the good thing is we've had no more attacks on our land and that's an important thing to remember."

Monsoons' owner Russell Temple said he didn’t realise anyone would find the idea of an Anzac Day wet T-shirt contest offensive.

“We apologise for our naive approach and lack of proper thought when organising our activities calendar,” he said in a statement.

The prize of AUD$,1000 pool that was on offer for the competition will now be donated to veterans’ charity Soldier On, the nightclub said in a statement.

The Monsoons backlash comes after the New South Wales government and RSL rebuked Sydney nightclubs that used posters of shirtless men in military fatigues to promote Anzac Day parties with "best abs" and "sexy sailor" competitions.

It is a federal offence to use the term "Anzac" in a commercial context without permission from the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Penalties for serious breaches can carry up to 12 months imprisonment or fines up to AUD$51,000.

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