If you are sitting around Australia and watching primetime TV on a Sunday night you will be exposed to levels of government propaganda never before seen in this counry. This phenomenon, under the current regime, has already been the subject of a Senate inquiry and now the media have picked up on it ….

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This Senate inquiry arose out of concern about the escalating costs of Commonwealth government advertising since 1996, and about the political nature of particular advertising campaigns.

Expenditure on Commonwealth government advertising has climbed steadily since 1991-92. Between 1991-92 and 1995-96, the average yearly advertising expenditure through the Central Advertising System was $85.6 million. Between 1996-97 and 2003-04, the average yearly expenditure on advertising was $126.75 million.

The median expenditure over the whole period from 1991-92 to 2003-04 was $97 million. Expenditure by the Howard government since 1996-97 thus averages $29.75 million more than the median; expenditure by the Keating Labor government prior to 1996-97 averaged $11.4 million less than the median.

Excluding the bi-partisan advertising campaigns for Defence Force Recruitment, the next nine most expensive advertising campaigns since 1991 have been conducted by the Howard government.

The Opposition claims the Government has spent $1.7 billion on government advertising campaigns since it came to office.

Government tax dollars for propaganda in 2006/2007 are expected to be even higher.

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