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Workplace ad blitz wrong

October 9, 2005 at 8:05 pm 6 Comments

The Federal Government today announced its “workplace reforms”, which it claims will deliver a simpler and fairer industrial relations system.

That may be so. I haven’t studied the detail, and frankly it’s of no great interest to me.

I object however, to the massive abuse of public funds to promote Liberal Party policy through the media.

TV ads started today and I’ve got no doubt there will be full-page newspaper ads to follow. The ads haven’t illuminated me on the detail of the policy. They are propaganda.

I thought I heard today that Australia donated half a million dollars towards earthquake relief in Pakistan. Beazley thinks the media blitz is costing $100 million. Howard denies this, but the figure must be in the millions.

The unions are running ads as well, which I suppose gives the government some right of reply. But what we’re seeing is overkill.

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Comments

  1. Andrew says:
    October 10, 2005 at 6:41 am

    The unions are spending many millions on their propaganda, and they only represent 30% of the workforce (only 10% are actual members of a trade union). At least the government represents about half!

    Reply
  2. Michael
    Twitter:
    says:
    October 10, 2005 at 8:30 am

    The unions are a lobby group and they’re spending members’ funds. The government is spending taxpayers money that could go to schools and hospitals.

    I reckon the business lobby should pay for and run the counter ads.

    And I was right. We’re only giving half a million to Pakistan for earthquake relief. We gave Indonesia a billion dollars after the tsunami. Something wrong there too.

    Reply
  3. Andrew says:
    October 10, 2005 at 8:39 am

    Ah yes, but where we have Labor state governments (which are responsible for hospitals & schools, incidentally) the union-based government spends oodles of taxpayer funds on self promotion. Seems like it’s a function of government, rather than which end of the spectrum you’re from.

    Reply
  4. Michael
    Twitter:
    says:
    October 10, 2005 at 12:48 pm

    I agree that all parties do it. That doesn’t make it right, and I think it’s getting worse.

    Reply
  5. Ray Dixon says:
    October 11, 2005 at 12:50 pm

    Hey Andrew, you can’t justify the Federal Government’s propaganda by claiming it’s like "a function of government". How absurd.

    Reply
  6. Michael
    Twitter:
    says:
    October 13, 2005 at 11:27 am

    Jeff Kennett (former Victorian Liberal Premier and ex-advertising executive) agrees with me! From The Age:

    Jeff Kennett has branded the Howard Government’s massive advertising campaign to promote its industrial relations changes "the greatest waste of money".

    Mr Kennett said the legislation should have been produced before the hard sell began.

    He could not judge whether the changes would deliver the promised benefits because he had not seen the legislation. "At the moment, everyone’s fundamentally responding to shadows," he said.

    "From an advertising man’s point of view, which has been my background, I’ve got to say to you those ads are the greatest waste of public money because they defy advertising logic, and that is to sell a simple message."

    Reply

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