Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I spoke in the second reading debate in relation to the two amendments standing in the names of Senator Murray and me. The request for amendment on sheet 5269 deals with advertising and seeks to put in place a fetter on the government’s profligate expenditure of public moneys on party political advertising. I think there are a few people who do not recognise the extent of the government’s advertising. We know already of the $55 million that has been spent on Work Choices, plus reportedly there has been an additional $36.5 million spent on that. We know of the $52 million on the private health funds. We know of the $69 million on their superannuation policies. And we have a range of other campaigns coming at us down the track. There will be no Australian living room that will be safe from the Howard government’s advertising, all funded courtesy of the Australian taxpayer.

With the request for amendment on sheet 5269 we are seeking to place some restrictions around the use of public moneys, of taxpayers’ funds, for government advertising. There are times when government advertising is quite legitimate. No-one in this place, or in any sensible political position, would argue that proper information campaigns, health and safety issues—those sorts of genuine, factually based campaigns—ought not be funded. But what we see from the government, frankly, is quite blatant political propaganda, and people know and understand that. That was why the Work Choices campaign was unpopular. The extent to which this has been politicised by this government is demonstrated by the newspaper advertisements that were placed in all the national and metropolitan dailies on the Friday after the Prime Minister made his announcement about the fake fairness test.

Just so people know: the Senate estimates evidence revealed that the Prime Minister’s office was involved in the drafting of the advertisements—and, perhaps as importantly, the government actually used what they described as ‘non-campaign advertising’ to fund those advertisements. I cannot remember how much money it was. Just to be clear: non-campaign advertising is generally things like recruitment or meetings—very factual, not associated with any policy issue in particular. So they delved into another honey pot in order to fund this. That is the request for amendment on sheet 5269.

The amendment on 5309 deals with the Kirribilli and the Lodge issues, which I spoke to in the second reading debate and do not intend to address again, unless the government wishes to engage in debate on it. We have made the point consistently that we do not think Australians consider it appropriate for the Prime Minister of this country to use his taxpayer funded official residences for party political fundraising. It is undoubtedly the case that that was done by this Prime Minister and by the Liberal Party of Australia.

To expedite the matter, Mr Chairman, I seek leave to move the amendment and request for amendment on sheet 5269 and the request for amendment on sheet 5309 consecutively—and flag that we will seek a division on both of them—in the interests of trying to not require a four-minute division in respect of both. But that is obviously a matter for the chair and the chamber.

Leave granted.

Andrew Murray (WA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the same point, if I could just say that what we are seeking to do is not debate the matter further so that, when the divisions come up, we will have a four-minute division and then a one-minute division.

John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will deal with the request for amendment and the amendment on sheet 5269 revised and the amendment on sheet 5309 consecutively.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I, and also on behalf of Senator Murray,  move:

Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008

That the House of Representatives be requested to make the following amendment:

(1)    Page 10 (after line 11), after clause 14, insert:

15 Advertising and public information projects

        (1)    No amount appropriated by this Act is to be expended for any advertising or public information project if the cost of the project is estimated to be $250,000 or more, unless:

             (a)    a statement in accordance with subsection (2) has been provided to the Auditor-General; and

             (b)    the Auditor-General has issued a certificate certifying that the project conforms with the guidelines for government advertising.

        (2)    A statement under paragraph (1)(a) must indicate:

             (a)    the purpose and nature of the project;

             (b)    the intended recipients of the information to be communicated by the project;

             (c)    the name of the person who is to authorise the project;

             (d)    the manner in which the project is to be carried out;

             (e)    the name of the person or the entity that is to carry out the project;

              (f)    whether the project is to be carried out under a contract;

             (g)    whether such contract is to be let by tender;

             (h)    the estimated cost of the project.

        (3)    A statement and certificate under subsection (1) must be:

             (a)    published in the Gazette; and

             (b)    laid before each House of the Parliament within six sitting days of that House after the certificate is issued.

      (4)    In this section, the guidelines for government advertising means the guidelines set out in the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration Committee report entitled Government advertising and accountability, December 2005.

Statement pursuant to the order of the Senate of 26 June 2000

This amendment is framed as a request because it is to a bill which appropriates moneys for the ordinary annual services of the Government.

Statement by the Clerk of the Senate pursuant to the order of the Senate of 26 June 2000

As this is a bill appropriating money for the ordinary annual services of the Government, the amendment is moved as a request. This is in accordance with the precedents of the Senate. Whether all of the purposes of expenditure now covered by this bill are actually ordinary annual services is a matter under examination by the Appropriations and Staffing Committee.

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008

(1)    Page 10 (after line 8), after clause 13, insert:

13A Advertising and public information projects

        (1)    No amount appropriated by this Act is to be expended for any advertising or public information project if the cost of the project is estimated to be $250,000 or more, unless:

             (a)    a statement in accordance with subsection (2) has been provided to the Auditor-General; and

             (b)    the Auditor-General has issued a certificate certifying that the project conforms with the guidelines for government advertising.

        (2)    A statement under paragraph (1)(a) must indicate:

             (a)    the purpose and nature of the project;

             (b)    the intended recipients of the information to be communicated by the project;

             (c)    the name of the person who is to authorise the project;

             (d)    the manner in which the project is to be carried out;

             (e)    the name of the person or the entity that is to carry out the project;

              (f)    whether the project is to be carried out under a contract;

             (g)    whether such contract is to be let by tender;

             (h)    the estimated cost of the project.

        (3)    A statement and certificate under subsection (1) must be:

             (a)    published in the Gazette; and

             (b)    laid before each House of the Parliament within six sitting days of that House after the certificate is issued.

      (4)    In this section, the guidelines for government advertising means the guidelines set out in the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration Committee report entitled Government advertising and accountability, December 2005.

That the House of Representatives be requested to make the following amendment:

(1)   Page 10 (after line 11), after clause 14, insert:

15  Prohibition on appropriations being used for political fundraising activities

                 No money appropriated by this or any other Act may be used for the purpose of an electoral fundraising activity at the property known as Kirribilli House, Kirribilli Avenue, Kirribilli, NSW or The Lodge, Adelaide Avenue, Deakin, ACT. 

Statement pursuant to the order of the Senate of 26 June 2000

This amendment is framed as a request because it is to a bill which appropriates moneys for the ordinary annual services of the Government.

Statement by the Clerk of the Senate pursuant to the order of the Senate of 26 June 2000

As this is a bill appropriating money for the ordinary annual services of the Government, the amendment is moved as a request. This is in accordance with the precedents of the Senate. Whether all of the purposes of expenditure now covered by this bill are actually ordinary annual services is a matter under examination by the Appropriations and Staffing Committee.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just to indicate to the chamber that the government will not be supporting the request or amendment moved by Senator Wong and Senator Murray. I think in the interests of proceedings moving along, I will not say anything further. But the government obviously does not agree with the statements that have been made by Senator Wong and Senator Murray as part of this debate. I think our views are pretty clearly on the record, so I will not take the debate any further.

John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the request for amendment and the amendment on sheet 5269 revised by Senator Murray and Senator Wong be agreed to.

John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question now is that the request for amendment on sheet 5309 moved by Senator Murray and Senator Wong be agreed to.