The nanny state awards: See what joined Bunnings' sausage sizzle controversy and the Greens' push to get rid of petrol cars on the list of 2018's most farcical decisions

The most outlandish and bizarre nanny-state reforms of the year have been named and shamed by a think tank – and the award recipients are just as hilarious and over-the-top as you would expect.
The Centre for Independent Studies, an Australian libertarian think tank, held their annual nanny state awards on Thursday night and the Bunnings sausage controversy shared the main prize.
Professor Steven Schwartz, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies, told Daily Mail Australia a panel of judges were appointed to asses the ‘most intrusive and farcical’ regulations or campaigns of 2018.
First place was awarded jointly to health experts campaigning for the salt content of sausages to be cut in half, and Bunnings’ decision to change the rules surrounding their famous sausage sizzles.
In November the hardware giant controversially ruled that fried onions must be placed underneath the sausage in their sandwiches rather than on top in to avoid safety problems posed by dropped garnishes.
‘Considering the Australian BBQ sausage is a part of the country’s culture, this one in particular brought out the judges’ ire,’ Professor Schwartz said.
Second place was awarded to Blue Mountains City Council, which tried to limit fencing around park playgrounds due to concerns it would make kids feel ‘caged’ and affect their creativity.
Environmental educator Arwen Birch claimed third place after he proposed a ban on car advertising earlier this year because of its ‘poor health outcomes’.
Mr Birch argued smoking and car use have comparable health costs, yet while there are strict laws in place around tobacco ads, there there are none for cars.
Also included on the Nanny Awards 2018 list was the Greens’ proposal to ban petrol cars from roads by 2030.
On the shortlist for the satirical awards was a supermarket shopping bag ban, mandatory window latches for NSW apartments, a call for mandatory alcohol warnings and plans to ban plastic straws.
A ban on plastic straws is currently close to becoming a reality in Europe, as the European Union this year voted in favour of a ban on single-use plastics across the bloc which could come into effect as early as 2021.
On a more serious note, spokeswoman for the ThinkTank Carla Pincott told Daily Mail Australia that in reality, intrusive ‘nanny state’ laws are no laughing matter.
‘While we make fun of the government and other bodies intervening like this, we do consider the nanny state a serious matter and a continuing intrusion into people’s lives,’ she said.