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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Tory Shepherd

A Sydney ban on skimpy swimmers is not new. ‘Bikini wars’ have been raging in Australia for a century

Beach-goers at Bondi in the 1950s
Beach-goers at Bondi in the 1950s, where for decades men were tasked with policing what women wore as swimwear. Blue Mountains council has banned G-string bikinis from its pools. Photograph: Bettmann/Bettmann Archive

When Bettine Baker was ordered to leave Bondi beach because of her skimpy swimwear, she couldn’t help but scoff.

“The whole business is so old-fashioned and narrow-minded that it’s not even funny,” the 20-year-old said.

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