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| Government-funded TV ad based on Coalition’s ‘exciting time’ slogan, claims Labor Government-funded TV ad based on Coalition’s ‘exciting time’ slogan, claims Labor | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| There’s never been a more exciting time to scrutinise public spending on innovation advertising, it would appear, after Labor raised concerns a government-funded ad was based on a Coalition slogan. | There’s never been a more exciting time to scrutinise public spending on innovation advertising, it would appear, after Labor raised concerns a government-funded ad was based on a Coalition slogan. |
| Labor MP Pat Conroy has written to the auditor general about a $28m government advertising campaign which he said centred on the Turnbull government catchphrase “there’s never been a more exciting time to be Australian”. | Labor MP Pat Conroy has written to the auditor general about a $28m government advertising campaign which he said centred on the Turnbull government catchphrase “there’s never been a more exciting time to be Australian”. |
| The TV ad, titled Welcome to the Ideas Boom, features the tagline: “Welcome to the most exciting time in Australia’s history.” | The TV ad, titled Welcome to the Ideas Boom, features the tagline: “Welcome to the most exciting time in Australia’s history.” |
| The phrase “there’s never been a more exciting time to be an Australian” also appears in the national innovation report. | The phrase “there’s never been a more exciting time to be an Australian” also appears in the national innovation report. |
| On 15 February Conroy asked the auditor general to consider whether the use of the phrase in ads for the National Innovation and Science Agenda breached government advertising guidelines. One rule states campaigns should “be objective” and specifically “not include party political slogans or images”. | On 15 February Conroy asked the auditor general to consider whether the use of the phrase in ads for the National Innovation and Science Agenda breached government advertising guidelines. One rule states campaigns should “be objective” and specifically “not include party political slogans or images”. |
| He argued the slogan “is attributable to the prime minister ... [because it] has been repeatedly used by [Malcolm] Turnbull, including in comments made on his assumption of the leadership of the federal Liberal party in September 2015”. | He argued the slogan “is attributable to the prime minister ... [because it] has been repeatedly used by [Malcolm] Turnbull, including in comments made on his assumption of the leadership of the federal Liberal party in September 2015”. |
| Conroy said it was reasonable for the government to replicate language associated with a policy or campaign but “on this occasion it appears the campaign is actually based on the prime minister’s comments”. “These comments are neither objective nor free of party political themes.” | Conroy said it was reasonable for the government to replicate language associated with a policy or campaign but “on this occasion it appears the campaign is actually based on the prime minister’s comments”. “These comments are neither objective nor free of party political themes.” |
| The tagline might also fall foul of a rule that information presented as fact “should be accurate and verifiable” because, he warned, it was “based on the personal opinion of the prime minister”. Conroy asked the auditor general to consider whether the claim was accurate and verifiable and “if so, what information was relied on for this assertion”. | The tagline might also fall foul of a rule that information presented as fact “should be accurate and verifiable” because, he warned, it was “based on the personal opinion of the prime minister”. Conroy asked the auditor general to consider whether the claim was accurate and verifiable and “if so, what information was relied on for this assertion”. |
| Conroy told Guardian Australia the $28m price tag for the innovation ads had contributed to a $250m bill on government ads in the last two financial years, including a 20% increase in the election year. | Conroy told Guardian Australia the $28m price tag for the innovation ads had contributed to a $250m bill on government ads in the last two financial years, including a 20% increase in the election year. |
| “This is from my point of view an egregious breach of the guidelines.” | “This is from my point of view an egregious breach of the guidelines.” |
| The auditor general should determine “who came up with the slogan and did it go through the normal approvals process”, he said. The auditor general has acknowledged receipt of the letter but has not responded. | The auditor general should determine “who came up with the slogan and did it go through the normal approvals process”, he said. The auditor general has acknowledged receipt of the letter but has not responded. |
| Conroy said Labor’s shadow infrastructure minister, Anthony Albanese, had also written to the auditor general about $18m spent on infrastructure ads, and he hoped the two referrals would lead to a whole of government inquiry into advertising. | Conroy said Labor’s shadow infrastructure minister, Anthony Albanese, had also written to the auditor general about $18m spent on infrastructure ads, and he hoped the two referrals would lead to a whole of government inquiry into advertising. |
| A spokesman for the innovation minister, Christopher Pyne, disputed the claim about the wording of the ad, saying the National Innovation and Science Agenda ads had been developed in line with whole-of-government process for communication campaigns, including independence guidelines. | A spokesman for the innovation minister, Christopher Pyne, disputed the claim about the wording of the ad, saying the National Innovation and Science Agenda ads had been developed in line with whole-of-government process for communication campaigns, including independence guidelines. |
| He said the “most exciting time in Australia’s history” tagline reflects the outcomes of its innovation agenda to create an environment that incentivises and rewards innovation, science and taking risks to succeed. The line “is intended to both attract audience attention and increase awareness of the role of innovation in creating new opportunities”, he said. | He said the “most exciting time in Australia’s history” tagline reflects the outcomes of its innovation agenda to create an environment that incentivises and rewards innovation, science and taking risks to succeed. The line “is intended to both attract audience attention and increase awareness of the role of innovation in creating new opportunities”, he said. |