The Abbott government has splashed more than $8 million of taxpayer money on a media blitz promoting its stalled higher education reforms. Fairfax Media can reveal the government has spent $5.4 million on media bookings for the campaign, which has infuriated key Senate crossbenchers. This comes on top of $2.3 million spent on the design of the advertisements and $560,000 on focus groups and market research. The government will counter attacks on the spending by pointing out the amount is dwarfed by the $21 million Labor spent in total promoting its Gonski school funding changes. The government launched the campaign – which has run across television, print, radio, bus shelters and online – days after the Senate voted down its higher education reform package. The reforms would allow universities to set their own fees, cut university course funding and expand federal funding to private colleges, TAFEs and sub-bachelor degree programs. It is understood the $5.4 million amount covers the two-week period before Christmas as well as a potential second phase of advertising this year. A spokesman for Education Minister Christopher Pyne said: Research has shown that misinformation about key aspects of the proposed higher education reforms is making it difficult for prospective students and their parents to make decisions about their future. The governments higher education campaign is compliant with advertising guidelines and costs are reasonable for the services being provided. Officials who attended university open days and career expos last year reported a consistent lack of understanding about Australias higher education system, especially the status of HECS, the spokesman said. Mr Pyne has said he will try to get his reforms through the Senate when Parliament resumes. The campaign assures students that they will not have to pay any fees upfront and will start repaying their debts only when they earn a salary of $50,000. The government will pay around 50 per cent of the cost of a degree under a deregulated system, according to the advertisements. The campaign has angered Senate crossbenchers whose votes will be crucial for the government to pass its reforms. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has called the campaign party political advertising paid for by taxpayers while Palmer United Party Senate leader Glenn Lazarus described it as an underhanded ... propaganda campaign. Senator Xenophon said governments should be banned from spending taxpayer money on advertising unless its policies have become law. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the campaign was a total waste of money. No amount of advertising or slick marketing will convince Australians that Tony Abbotts plan for $100,000 university degrees is a good idea, Mr Shorten said.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 01:16:29 +0000
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