PR maven Roxy Jacenko has been fined $6,000 for painting public bollards bright pink in Bondi Beach as part of a marketing campaign.

The eye-catching stunt, which saw five concrete bollards along Ramsgate Avenue transformed into vibrant advertisements for electric bike company Flight Risk, landed Jacenko in hot water with the local council.
Waverley Council issued the fine because the bollards were painted without permission, constituting “development without development consent.” They also noted that the unauthorised advertising and bright pink were inappropriate for the Bondi Beach conservation area.
Jacenko, who recently reopened her PR firm Sweaty Betty, defended her actions, arguing that the bollards were already covered in various markings and graffiti. She believed that painting them a uniform colour was an improvement and jokingly suggested the council should pay her for the service.

However, Waverley Council maintained a zero-tolerance policy for graffiti and unauthorised advertising, emphasising that ratepayers had to foot the bill for restoring the bollards to their original colour.
This incident occurred amidst a threatened train strike in Sydney last year, which Jacenko cleverly leveraged to promote Flight Risk’s electric bikes as a commuting alternative.
Despite personally owning a collection of luxury cars, Jacenko encouraged Sydneysiders to consider the $5,699 bikes as a solution to potential transport disruptions. She even organised a PR stunt where Flight Risk staff offered free rides to commuters on the back of their electric bikes.
Waverley Council has reiterated its commitment to preserving Bondi Beach’s heritage conservation area. They stated that the bollards have since been repainted to their original colour palette, which is more in keeping with the area’s aesthetic.
The council also stressed that any individual or organisation wishing to paint or alter public property must obtain the necessary permits and approvals.
Published Date 25-Jan-2025