Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question again is to the Prime Minister and refers to his previous answer. Prime Minister, how much taxpayers’ money has already been spent on the TV advertising campaign on climate change that the Prime Minister said in his last answer as of now has not been approved by any minister?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No TV advertising campaign has commenced, so the answer in relation to that is no taxpayers’ money. Any testing or other work that might have been done preparatory to the approval of a campaign could have involved expenditure. I cannot tell the Leader of the Opposition off the top of my head what the cost of that would have been. I have been maintaining persistently—and I will repeat it again—since the Leader of the Opposition first asked me a question on 23 May that no campaign has been approved for distribution or commencement—none whatsoever. Any work that might have been done in relation to testing or market research would clearly have involved some expense. I cannot say how much that would be without getting separate advice, but I can indicate to the House, as the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources—

Duncan Kerr (Denison, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Kerr interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Denison continues to interject. He will remove himself from the House under standing order 94(a).

The member for Denison then left the chamber.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources indicated last week that money had been provided in the budget for a public information campaign. I indicated last week that we reserve the right to conduct such a campaign. We do reserve the right to conduct such a campaign, but no final decision has been made on that campaign or the content of it. Until it is signed off on by a minister or ministers or a group of ministers involving me, it remains the case that no material has been approved for distribution to the public. That has been my position all along. Of course there has been some expense involved in testing. Of course there has. Of that there is no doubt, but how much that is I will try to find out and let the Leader of the Opposition know.

Daryl Melham (Banks, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Melham interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Banks is warned!