Labor should pull back on govt ads that spin for election

The Australian Greens today called on the Gillard government to publicly release details of its planned multi-million dollar advertising campaign to promote Gonski, Medicare and DisabilityCare for public scrutiny and to assure the public that government advertising will not be used as a spin tool to promote party interests in the lead up to the federal election.

"The public will have little stomach for expensive government advertising that reads more like an attempt to shore up votes on key planks in Labor's election campaign", said Greens spokesperson for democracy Senator Lee Rhiannon.

"Surely a multi-million dollar advertising spend would be better put into boosting funding for education and health.

"In 2010 former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd sidelined the Auditor-General from scrutineering government advertising and instead established a three person Independent Communications Committee which is answerable to the government, not parliament.

"Federal Labor should assure the public that government advertising will not be used as a spin tool to promote party interests in the lead up to the federal election.

"The Greens are calling on the Gillard government to release details of their total advertising spend, including focus group testing, crafting and placing ads" said Senator Rhiannon.