The Anti-Discrimination Commissioner plans to launch a federal High Court action to ban the recognition of April Fool’s Day in Australia on the grounds that it discriminates against stupid people.
If successful the case could trigger a tidal wave of litigation from schoolboys who got their fingers caught in chewing-gum-box traps, teachers who have had shoes drop on their heads, co-workers who agree to go looking for a long stand and other victims of their own gullibility.
They could in theory seek compensation from the federal government for having failed to protect them from hilarious practical jokes.
The Punch understands that while this will be the basis of the case, it will also be argued that some April Fool’s jokes are not all that funny.
The action follows this week’s revelations that there have been complaints from some redheads about road safety ads on the grounds that the campaign violates their human rights.
Legal experts say the “Don’t be a Dickhead” campaign also probably discriminates against dickheads though it is not known if any of them have complained.
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