Workplace ads cost $4.1m a week
THE Federal Government’s workplace advertising campaign will cost $4.1 million for one week, while the $111 million it spent in the last financial year makes it one of the biggest advertisers in the country.
Types of advertising
By contrast to the hefty industrial relations campaign, less than $5 million will be spent over 16 months on the national security hotline to encourage people to dob in potential terrorists, a Senate estimates committee heard this morning.
“This says it all about the government’s priorities,” Senator John Faulkner said.
“National security advertising - $4.8 million of ad placements over 16 months. Workplace relations, trying to dig yourself out of a political hole - $4.1 million of placements over six days.”
But Finance Minister Nick Minchin said Senator Faulkner should not be politicising the debate.
“Workplace relations affects every single Australian and they’re entitled to know changes to the law and we’ve properly advertised those changes.”
The committe was told earlier today that the advertising bookings for the workplace ads, which began running last Sunday and will finish this Saturday, cost $4.1 million.
The cost of market research and the cost of producing the ads was not revealed.
Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey had repeatedly refused to say how much the campaign would cost, saying only that the advertising booking was less than $5 million.
Biggest advertisers in Australia
According to media expert AC Nielsen, the Federal Government is now the second-biggest advertiser in the country.
It spends about $140 million a year selling its wares, outspending Harvey Norman, Domayne, Woolworths and Nestle.
Only Coles Myer outspends the Government’s advertising budget, the AC Nielson table of advertising published in AdNews has revealed.
The latest industrial relations ad campaign costs taxpayers $50,000 each time an ad is screened on prime-time television
Taxpayers are reportedly also being slugged a late fee for some ads because the government department booked the time slot just days before the ads went to air.
With three ad campaigns currently running on national television, the Federal Government revealed yesterday it had at least two new campaigns planned.
The latest campaigns follow the $472,195 spent on newspaper ads on the first weekend in May to promote the government’s decision to introduce a fairness test for people earning under $75,000 a year.
That spending was deemed to be non-campaign advertising, which includes job ads and calls for tenders.
Opinion polls
Meanwhile, latest Newspoll figures suggest John Howard’s “fairness test” for employees on less than $75,000, has left most people unconvinced.
According to a Newspoll survey conducted exclusively for The Australian last weekend, only 12 per cent of voters said the Government’s new no-disadvantage test would make them more likely to vote Coalition.
More people, 15 per cent, said the change would make them “less likely” to vote for the Government.
Labor kept its overall voter support and election-winning lead, although the Coalition’s primary vote lifted three percentage points to 39 per cent - its highest primary vote rating in three months.
According to the Newspoll survey, the Government’s primary support went from 36 per cent to 39 per cent, while Labor’s primary vote held virtually unchanged on 49 per cent.
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