While the French approve plans for public parks for nudists, Australia outlaws the flashing of private parts, writes Elizabeth Sleith Paris officials have given the thumbs up to plans for a nudist hotspot somewhere in the French capital next summer.The proposal for an official nudist park, tabled by the Green Party, was given the go-ahead on Monday, with the support of Mayor Anne Hidalgo and her deputy Bruno Julliard.Under the current laws, public nudity is illegal and can carry a fine of €15,000 (about R231,000) or up to a year in prison.However, the co-chairman of the Green Party, David Belliard, told the BBC: "We've got two million nudists in France, which is doubled during the summer with visitors."And there's no public place for them to go."Julliard said the spot would likely be "near a lake, in a regulated setting so that there is no threat to public order".story_article_left1So while the French are clearly willing to offer their nudely inclined support, the Australians, on the other hand, want people to keep their pants on.Both mooning (flashing one's buttocks) and streaking (running naked) in public have been declared illegal in Victoria state.Though both were already outlawed as indecent exposure, they have now been explicitly listed under moves to tighten the laws.First-time offenders could face two months in jail, while repeat offenders could be jailed for up to six months.As the news sparked fury across Australia, where cheeky streaking is particularly popular at sporting events, Martin Pakula, Victoria's attorney-general, appealed for calm.He pointed out that the new rules simply make a clearer distinction between indecency and sex crimes."I don't want to ruin anyone's fun," he said. "We don't want a situation where someone who might streak at the cricket is funnelled into the same category as someone who might jump out in front of a 13-year-old girl and flash. They are very different types of offences and the legislation for the first time makes that clear."A few days later, nine Australian men who apparently hadn't heard the news - or who had decided on one last hurrah - were arrested in Malaysia after they stripped down to their underpants at last Sunday's Grand Prix.The mainly Muslim country has strict rules on public indecency.Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed said: "We open our doors to tourists... but when they come here with the intention to commit indecent acts to embarrass us... that's not how visitors should respond to our good treatment."Perhaps it was adding insult to injury that their undies were emblazoned with the Malaysian flag.Police were investigating them for public indecency and disrespecting the national flag...