Have you noticed how the Australian Coat of Arms has replaced individual logos for all Federal Government agencies and departments?

Even Medicare cheques now come in envelopes that bear the kangaroo and emu, instead of the familiar green and gold lettering.

I read in The Australian a few months ago that the decision to market a whole-of-government image came directly from the Prime Minister’s office.

Apparently it caused much heartache and anxiety among the marketers, many of whom had spent years and millions of dollars trying to build brands and corporate identities.

Government agencies needed permission to be exempt from the edict and this was rarely given … I think the Bureau of Meteorology was one of the few.

I don’t have a problem with the philosophy, just the cost.

This decision, seemingly made on a whim by the Prime Minister or one of his advisers, has probably cost the taxpayers hundreds of millions.

It raises questions about economic management that I haven’t heard asked by the Opposition.

It’s not so much how they justify the change; it’s how they justify the past marketing budgets of all government departments and agencies.

As someone who has worked on the edge of this industry I know how expensive and time consuming it is to create logos and build brands.

All that hard work and cost has been thrown away.