| The Hon Lindsay Tanner MP Minister for Finance and Deregulation |
Senator The Hon John Faulkner Cabinet Secretary Special Minister of State |
08/2009
5 March 2009
The Auditor-General has tabled the audit of four advertising campaigns under the Howard Government.
His findings vindicate the Rudd Government’s major reform of the Commonwealth’s advertising system, and its abolition of the Ministerial Council on Government Communications (MCGC).
Under the new Advertising Campaign Guidelines launched in July 2008, Ministers do not dictate the content or conduct of advertising campaigns. Responsibility for a campaign devolves to the relevant Government department.
Design, procurement and execution for advertising campaigns are now the responsibility of the portfolio department and its secretary or agency head, and any campaign over $250,000 is reviewed by the Auditor-General against the new guidelines.
Central advertising purchasing and advice for portfolio departments is now provided within the Department of Finance and Deregulation, not the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Senator Faulkner said: “Under the Rudd Government the MCGC has been abolished and there is no committee of Ministers, politicians and staffers overseeing the process.
“These new procedures have been put in place to ensure campaigns are now legitimately authorised, properly targeted and non-political in nature.”
Lindsay Tanner said: “The Rudd Government remains committed to reducing wasteful spending that was allowed to flourish under the Howard Government.
“The Howard Government spent $254 million on campaign advertising through FMA Departments in calendar year 2007. The Rudd Government contained campaign advertising to $82 million in 2008.”
Due to the critical importance of transparency of such expenditure, the Rudd Government will release twice yearly reports on advertising expenditure. The first, covering 2008, is due to be tabled in Parliament in the next few weeks.
| Media Contact: | Website: |
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| Minister Tanner's Office - Nardia Dazkiw - 0418 144 690 Minister Faulkner's Office - Colin Campbell- 0407 787 181 |
www.financeminister.gov.au
www.smos.gov.au
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