29 August 2024
The Greens have moved to ban government advertising of more than $10,000 per department in the lead up to elections unless approved by the Auditor-General or both Houses of Parliament as new data reveals that Labor is spending more than $1.5 million promoting its Housing Roadmap and spent over $47 million on government advertising in the 2022-2023 financial year.
Since coming to Government Labor’s advertising spends have included $750,000 promoting the 2022 stage budget, $1.15 million on its Housing Roadmap, and $1.65 million on the State Prosperity Project.
Under the Greens’ Government Advertising Bill, which was introduced in the Upper House of State Parliament yesterday:
- The Minister would be required to establish guidelines for Government advertising (the Government voluntarily established guidelines but there is no legislative requirement for them to do so).
- MPs and Ministers will be prohibited from being featured in ads
- Advertising of bills currently before parliament would be prohibited, along with the promotion of any political party
- The Auditor-General will have new powers to investigate breaches and report to Parliament
- Any Government advertising of more than $10,000 in the lead up to an election (from July of the year prior to the election) would be prohibited unless approved by the Auditor-General or the Parliament itself on specified grounds
“$47 million is a huge amount of money for the Government to spend on spruiking its policies, particularly in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. It’s particularly galling to see Labor spending $1.5 million on promoting its ‘Housing Roadmap’ – surely this is money that could be better spent on actually building more public housing or reducing the public housing maintenance backlog?”
“In the lead up to elections, in particular, the lines between Government advertising and political party advertising are blurred. It’s only right that there are safeguards in place. South Australians need to be assured that their money is being well spent, and this bill would give the Auditor-General the authority to make a call on whether or not government advertising in the lead up to elections is really in the public interest.”
“This bill draws on ideas that have been advanced by both the Labor and Liberal parties over the years. I hope that they will work with the Greens on this bill. If passed, this will be a big win for transparency in South Australia.”