❓ Hon. Neil Thomson questions the Minister for Finance regarding government advertising expenditure following an Auditor General's report criticizing the lack of specific legislation and significant spending. The Minister directs him to annual reports, leading to a heated exchange.
AnsweredQoN 586Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTION CAMPAIGN
ADVERTISING — AUDITOR
GENERAL'S REPORT
586. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the Minister for Finance:
I
refer to the Auditor General's report Government Campaign
Advertising on 15 May 2024, noting the Auditor General said $205 million
has been spent on campaign advertising and that ''Unlike other
jurisdictions ... there is no specific legislation for government advertising
and communications in WA.''
The minister responded to my
question on 7 May 2024 by merely directing me to annual reports. In light of the
criticisms of the Auditor General, I ask the following questions.
(1) How much has been spent by all
agencies on advertising in 2022–23?
(2) How much has
been budgeted for 2023–24?
(3) What are the
top five spending agencies?
(4) For (3), what
are the main campaigns?
(5) In addition
to questions already asked, noting we are in an election year and that the
government has been found to not be apolitical in its campaign spending, what
is the budget for 2024–25 government agencies?
ADVERTISING — AUDITOR
GENERAL'S REPORT
586. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the Minister for Finance:
I
refer to the Auditor General's report Government Campaign
Advertising on 15 May 2024, noting the Auditor General said $205 million
has been spent on campaign advertising and that ''Unlike other
jurisdictions ... there is no specific legislation for government advertising
and communications in WA.''
The minister responded to my
question on 7 May 2024 by merely directing me to annual reports. In light of the
criticisms of the Auditor General, I ask the following questions.
(1) How much has been spent by all
agencies on advertising in 2022–23?
(2) How much has
been budgeted for 2023–24?
(3) What are the
top five spending agencies?
(4) For (3), what
are the main campaigns?
(5) In addition
to questions already asked, noting we are in an election year and that the
government has been found to not be apolitical in its campaign spending, what
is the budget for 2024–25 government agencies?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(5) Information
on every agency's expenditure on advertising is publicly reported in
annual reports in the section on financial and compliance disclosures.
Hon NEIL
THOMSON : What about the budgets?
Hon SUE Ellery :
Does the member want the answer or not?
Hon Neil
Thomson : You are not giving it to me.
The
PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon SUE ELLERY :
Should I start again? It is the member's time I am wasting when he
interrupts me.
Hon Neil
Thomson : There is not much point. Just do whatever you like.
Hon SUE ELLERY :
Thank you!
The PRESIDENT :
Order!
Hon Nick
Goiran : It is actually my time.
Hon SUE ELLERY : Even worse!
(1)–(5) Information
on every agency's expenditure on advertising is publicly reported in annual
reports in the section on financial and compliance disclosures. Adding up
information that is publicly available is something I am confident even Hon
Neil Thomson is capable of.
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(5) Information
on every agency's expenditure on advertising is publicly reported in
annual reports in the section on financial and compliance disclosures.
Hon NEIL
THOMSON : What about the budgets?
Hon SUE Ellery :
Does the member want the answer or not?
Hon Neil
Thomson : You are not giving it to me.
The
PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon SUE ELLERY :
Should I start again? It is the member's time I am wasting when he
interrupts me.
Hon Neil
Thomson : There is not much point. Just do whatever you like.
Hon SUE ELLERY :
Thank you!
The PRESIDENT :
Order!
Hon Nick
Goiran : It is actually my time.
Hon SUE ELLERY : Even worse!
(1)–(5) Information
on every agency's expenditure on advertising is publicly reported in annual
reports in the section on financial and compliance disclosures. Adding up
information that is publicly available is something I am confident even Hon
Neil Thomson is capable of.
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