Government under fire for taxpayer funded ads

Labor claims the Government has delayed calling the election by a week so that it can spend $600,000 per day on taxpayer-funded advertising.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of avoiding the rules around political advertising and called on him to set an election date.

Mr Bowen claimed that the government’s week delay meant it could spend more than $4 million on campaign advertising.

According to tender documents released by Labor, the government has spent more than $250 million advertising policies and programs since January.

What do you think of taxpayer-funded political advertising? Do you think the Government should stop stalling and call the election now?

12NextLast(page 1/2)
24 comments

Where the government is advertising its programs and services, in some cases allegedly being forced to do so by misleading statements by others, where exactly is the problem?

Both sides do that. 

Brickbats to the media for giving oxygen to any misleading or muddying political statements out there.  For example, by all means promise (and cost) any 'initiatives' to improve the health system, eg cancer treatment, but don't put down, diminish or dismiss the splendid work already being done, the achievements by so many health workers, carers and volunteers.

On the date for the election, who cares if it is one week or the next?  

I agree with you LJ

It is up to the governing party to select the date NOT when it suits the opposition or media

LJ, my view exactly!  If the date wasnt set then where's the proof that it was delayed? 

I understand the issue is not that both sides of politics advertise themselves but the level of public funds being used by the current decrepit government kicking and screaming to be elected.  I saw Penny Wong try to get Corman to acknowledge HOW MUCH the daily funded campaign is costing taxpayers.  Quite unsurprisingly Corman refused to respond other than with avasive BS.

 

 

 

Yes most certainly..the government should cease stalling and call the darn election..

Utter waste of money on advertising..money that could be spent in hospitals to buy badly needed medical equipment.

Most people know by now whom they are going to vote for and all the useless advertising is NOT going to change their minds..



Agree Sophie. A bloody disgrace. Get on with the election I say. 

Could the $70million which Labor used to advertise their carbon carbon tax be better spent in hospitals?

I have been noticing all that extra government advertising and have been feeling angry about it. They are  campaigning already but with public funds. While doing that and holding off calling the election they are treating the public as “mugs”, as usual. Sneaky bast##ds - I hope they pay heavily on Election Day!

Did someone order mugs?

Official BACK IN BLACK Mug

Official BACK IN BLACK Mug

This government will set the date to suit themselves, regardless of the needs of the voters.

NO we didn't, but we are hoping that come next election we will be rid of a few and get a competent government in exchange.

Adrianus:  More government advertising by one of our government funded stoolies.  How much are they paying you to post your nonsense? 

Of course the mugs are a perfect indictment of the current government.  Lies on lies on lies.  It created a huge debt in imporving economic times and now is singing a song of Labor debt.  If one didn't understand the crooked behaviour it'd be a joke.

They're singing from the John Howard songbook.

I remember him doing the same thing before the 'GST' election.

The ads back then informing us of how their policy would benefit the country were blatant public funded election advertising.  There was criticism of that at the time too but it worked, he won the election. 

I also remember feeling p**sed off about it then but am finding it hard to get too worked up about anything they do these days.  I guess that's how brainwashing works, makes us insensitive to whatever they are doing.

The cry from the usual suspects is much the same as back then too - they all do it ... yada, yada, yada.  There might well be some truth in that, I don't know, but is it always this blatant?

I suppose they have to get their advertising dollar where they can now that they no longer have Malcolm to pick up the tab if they have a shortfall.

Leonie, they do all do it, even more reason to give this mob a good kick in the behind in order to send a message to those who will follow.  This mob will spend as much of our money as it takes to stay in power.

Leonie, were you as upset when you learned that in 2007 the unions donated $20m to the Labor campaign. In 2010 the Government donated $10m to the unions for leadership training, in 2011 another $10m was given to the unions for the same training? Obviously just a follow up session to make sure the training was effective. 

Adrianus:  a PAID government stoolie.  

As I keep saying the Federal Governement debt is currently $693 bilion and Labor left a debt of $148 billion from memory.

MICK, you do know that 10 + 10 = 20?

How much does Labor pay you MICK? You pop in and out of here spreading abuse and mistruths and assume that if a lie is told often enough it becomes the truth. The truth regarding debt is that Labor left $174.5B and the net debt as at July 2018 was $341.0B. Here's the link to support the figures.

https://theconversation.com/factcheck-has-australias-net-debt-doubled-under-the-current-government-100819

Despicable that they are spending money they don't have for something WE don't need!

They still think that they can buy votes.  They can buy some but not enough this time.

The real scandal is that Australia is in huge debt after the past 6 years of misgovernance and they just continue to rape the nation with a smirk on their faces.

MICK, Labor left the budget deficit at a record high and as such the incoming LNP government had a lot of work to do as debt continued to rise.

They made no promises that it would happen overnight.  It would have been misgovernance for an incoming government to cut it back too quickly without growing the economy.

Every reporter at the ABC scoffed at Tony Abbott's 1,000,000 new jobs in 5 years, just as Labor and the ABC said you cant stop the boats without starting a war with Indonesia.

If this government is replaced by a Labor/Union/Greens government then it will be handed over in much better shape than when the LNP were elected. Just as it was in 2007.

Ok, ok, hate to agree with orphan Annie, but the above is true. The Libs had to cope with a huge deficit left by Labor. 

 

pleased to see Bill Shorten is going to give $500 million to the United Nations (over five years) and going to "increase" the refugee intake...good on ya Bill!!  currently we give $25million a year so it is going to go to $100 million a year....I am sure the Labor voters are very happy at that info.

The government supporting humanitarian aid rather than dirty coal and self serving political agendas, as a Socialist I say yes, as a sane human being I say yes.  Good government is more than rearranging figures in a ledger to give the appearance of fiscal responsibility.  Good government is about spending money for the benifit of the majority.

Over a hundred million of dollars spent on a facility that was never intended to be used other than for a photo opportunity is not good fiscal policy, it is electioneering.  Thankfully public opinion has been swayed against using boat people as a political pawn, it has taken one more tool away from a desperate and innefective government.

Like giving half a billion to the "reef fund" or 185 million to open Christmas Island only to close it a month later

If Bill Shorten was less casual with the truth the government would have less argument for publicising present government services.

Shorten seems to have a problem with answering questions.

 

Gimmie a break - Shorten and his union, thug mates trying to be holier than thou + crocodile tears - what an absolute joke given credibility only by our left wing media.

Union thug mates?  What do you call the top end of town which steal trillions dollars from the public purse?  Benevolent angels?

Your normal government sponsored advertising Bludger.  You'll be out of a job in a few weeks time.

Not a Bludger, which left wing media is that, the over70% controlled by News Corp, or the millions given to "free tv" for the current adverts?, another scare campaign short on facts and figures.

Well, I watched Q and A last night and the young ones are not buying the government’s rhetoric and even some older questioners showed disbelief in the answers given by Frydenburg. 

Questions were about the environment, the NDIS, cancer, etc and there was little joy from the audience or satisfaction in evidence. One question did refer to the delay in calling the election and Frydenberg tried to answer this as he did all the questions but I suspect his hands are tied as his responses were like rehearsed statements and continual references to Labor which had nothing to do with the question but in an effort to distract and satisfy which he was not able to achieve. I felt a bit sorry for him actually. He was inadequate. 

My take on the delay is that LNP feel the longer they have the more they can chip away at Labor’s lead. People are hoping they match Labor’s cancer offer. 

And the more of our money they can use  on advertising, disguiesd as Public Information adds.

Labor is pushing so that less time can be spent putting the spotlight on questionable policies such as the electric vehicles unfunded, unplanned debacle and the fact that the cancer policy has more holes than a colander because most Australians already have the funding available to them.

Lets have a closer look at the relationship between the fossil fuel industry and both parties....starting with the LNP.

OM  -  Your normal misleading post.  You know full well that EVs are coming.  Look at Frydenburg's 2018 speech where he said everything Labor is saying.  Now you try to tear down the truth again.  Your lack of ethics and decency showing through again mate.

Well, well, well, here we have the champion of unionism trying to downplay union thuggery and straightaway lapses into bullying and name calling. MICK, when I posted the political cartoon about Shorten last week, your true colours appeared. You have been claiming that you are independent but your diatribe is always pro-Labor, anti-Coalition, never what one could call an "independent" outlook on politics.

Incidentally, just on topic, my post is not misleading, it merely points out some errors in a couple of Labor's policies. Misleading is when the truth is carelessly handled or outright lies told such as "you can charge the battery in an electric car in, oooh, 8-10 minutes." That's misleading MICK

I have already bought my mug.

Image result for mug with the words politics stinks

Thank you Bill Shorten or anyone who is willing to fund this dreadful disease.

Amen!

Have no idea what the "amen" is about. He has not done it yet.

The operative word is "willing." 

KIAH, today's reports are that the oncologists, diagnosticians, pathology labs and even GPs are saying Mr Shorten's 'cancer' promises are unworkable. It remains to be seen what eventuates should Mr Shorten get the keys to the Lodge. Bit I can tell you this, it will NOT be free cancer services all from day one, not even the week after that. As someone recently pointed out, in the public services, it is already 'free'. It is where health cover is involves that people are out of pocket and Mr Shorten has not addressed that.

 

Looks like I may have to get a refund for my mug :)

There should be no quibbles on either side when it comes to health and education and I find it despicable that both parties are making it a political football.

It's the Golden Rule isn't it? The man with the gold makes the rules. This is a lot of nothing really, the Coalition did it in the past and is doing it today, same as Labor has done it in the past and it's certain that it will do it again when in government.

Under the Westminster system, the PM decides when an election will take place, nobody else. Interestingly, Abbott did the same thing in 2013 to Gillard and was reminded that it's not the opposition that decides but the PM. Both sides take every chance to score points and this little storm in a teacup is par for the course.

Don't know why anybody much cares as we all know it will be mid May.  Who cares if its a week either side.  This is a side issue to try and distract voters from the meat in this election.  Lets not let this rotten government off the hook.  It needs to be gone asap!

Old Man, $4,000,000 A WEEK is not a storm in a tea cup, but a disgusting use of public funds, each MP and Senator recieves over $5000 a week cant the L.N.P. pass the hat around to fund there propaganda?

Gee 80 plus, if it was only the Coalition that was doing this, I would agree but it's traditionally been both sides so it's tit for tat. I agree with the thoughts that it should be outlawed but for all parties, not just the one that some people don't like.

call the election why should we pay for someone to lie to us,and last night on Q&A how pathetic and he is treasurer  

,

call the election why should we pay for someone to lie to us,and last night on Q&A how pathetic and he is treasurer  

,

Both parties are a disgrace to Australia and it's peoples collectively they have consinged Australia to the gutter.

The only fix isto have every member state and federal investigated through every transaction performed by them there families and trust accounts inrelatives names. They are both owned and controlled by vested interests and those interests are not in favor of the Australian People's.

Not a bad idea - should make for a real eye opener  and of course the favourite here by all posts I've seen - is Labor who lets face it are the very wrost party when it comes to wasting taxpayers monies.

@ Mick - Labor Rudd/Gillard left around reported a grand sum of around $340 Billions. 

Then also having brought on the NDIS unfunded, left it as a trap for incoming government to grow the deficit faster than ever. Went up to around $640 bilions.

Your figure is way out and a bit misleading by whoever posted it.

 

 

 

Correct Irish lassie, Labor left a few booby traps 6 years ago.  We would need the memory of a goldfish to give them another go.

12NextLast(page 1/2)
24 comments



To make a comment, please register or login

Preview your comment