❓ Mr. Wyatt questions Premier Barnett about the justification for spending on an advertising campaign for the Elizabeth Quay project, specifically highlighting an advertisement featuring pelicans. The Premier admits to not having seen the material but defends the use of public funds for advertising that informs the public about significant changes.
AnsweredQoN 318Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH WATERFRONT PROJECT —
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
318. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the government spending at least a quarter of a million
dollars in advertising on the current awareness campaign for the Elizabeth Quay
Perth Waterfront project including radio and newspaper advertisements featuring
three pelicans walking across the road.
(1)
How can this flagrant misuse of taxpayers' money be justified,
particularly given the Premier's previous criticism of government
advertisements? I refer to the Premier's media statement in which he
describes such advertising as serving no genuine public information.
(2) Will the
Premier immediately redirect the relevant government agencies to end this
pointless and wasteful advertising campaign?
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
318. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the government spending at least a quarter of a million
dollars in advertising on the current awareness campaign for the Elizabeth Quay
Perth Waterfront project including radio and newspaper advertisements featuring
three pelicans walking across the road.
(1)
How can this flagrant misuse of taxpayers' money be justified,
particularly given the Premier's previous criticism of government
advertisements? I refer to the Premier's media statement in which he
describes such advertising as serving no genuine public information.
(2) Will the
Premier immediately redirect the relevant government agencies to end this
pointless and wasteful advertising campaign?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I have not seen the material but there will be some information —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : My daughter brought that
home. Do you want to have a look?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I have not seen the
material.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : So you're
spending 250 grand on something you haven't seen?
The SPEAKER : Member!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am happy to answer
the question.
Mr M. McGowan : Pelicans walking across
the road!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I have not seen the
material. The member is ahead of me.
Several
members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I do not want to hear
another word today from anybody but from the person who is on their feet. If I
do, the member will be formally called to order and if the member has three
calls against them, they will be out of this place.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do have a clear view
about the use of public money for advertising programs. There is a role for
advertising, and public health is an obvious example. But when there are
significant changes that will affect people's daily lives, they deserve
to be informed.
Several
members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I
formally call you to order for the second time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : As I said, I have not
seen the material that has been prepared but I am aware of it. There will be
information about Elizabeth Quay and about what it means in terms of traffic
flow and the like.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : No, this has nothing to
do with traffic. This is all about calling it Elizabeth Quay and how wonderful
it is.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am attempting to
answer the question, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : There will also be
public information about the Perth City Link project and how that will impact
in terms of —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : How much are you
spending on that?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not have the
information in front of me. But what there will not be is what we saw under
Labor. Can members remember —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : What is this? This has
got nothing to do with public information.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker —
The SPEAKER : Take a seat, Premier!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : If you do not want the
answer, mate.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : You're not
giving the answer.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park,
I formally call you to order for the first time today. Premier, I formally call
you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Public information
about what is happening, in this case within the city, and how that will impact
on people including motorists, users of public transport and indeed pedestrians
—
Mr B.S. Wyatt : As I said, this has got
nothing to do with information delivery.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, I am
attempting to answer the question. I have not seen the material.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I am f ormally
calling you to order for the second time today. Member for Albany, I will call
you to order for the first time today.
Mr
J.E. McGrath interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for South Perth, I formally call you to order for the first
time today—probably for the first time this year. If you want question
time to continue, I would suggest everybody sit quietly.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : As Premier I insist that any use of public expenditure on
advertising campaigns—it is a legitimate role of government to
advertise—must contain information that is relevant and important to
the public of Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the third time
today. Member for Joondalup, I am formally calling you to order for the first
time today. And, members, that concludes question time.
I have not seen the material but there will be some information —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : My daughter brought that
home. Do you want to have a look?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I have not seen the
material.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : So you're
spending 250 grand on something you haven't seen?
The SPEAKER : Member!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am happy to answer
the question.
Mr M. McGowan : Pelicans walking across
the road!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I have not seen the
material. The member is ahead of me.
Several
members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I do not want to hear
another word today from anybody but from the person who is on their feet. If I
do, the member will be formally called to order and if the member has three
calls against them, they will be out of this place.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do have a clear view
about the use of public money for advertising programs. There is a role for
advertising, and public health is an obvious example. But when there are
significant changes that will affect people's daily lives, they deserve
to be informed.
Several
members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I
formally call you to order for the second time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : As I said, I have not
seen the material that has been prepared but I am aware of it. There will be
information about Elizabeth Quay and about what it means in terms of traffic
flow and the like.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : No, this has nothing to
do with traffic. This is all about calling it Elizabeth Quay and how wonderful
it is.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am attempting to
answer the question, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : There will also be
public information about the Perth City Link project and how that will impact
in terms of —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : How much are you
spending on that?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not have the
information in front of me. But what there will not be is what we saw under
Labor. Can members remember —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : What is this? This has
got nothing to do with public information.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker —
The SPEAKER : Take a seat, Premier!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : If you do not want the
answer, mate.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : You're not
giving the answer.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park,
I formally call you to order for the first time today. Premier, I formally call
you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Public information
about what is happening, in this case within the city, and how that will impact
on people including motorists, users of public transport and indeed pedestrians
—
Mr B.S. Wyatt : As I said, this has got
nothing to do with information delivery.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, I am
attempting to answer the question. I have not seen the material.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I am f ormally
calling you to order for the second time today. Member for Albany, I will call
you to order for the first time today.
Mr
J.E. McGrath interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for South Perth, I formally call you to order for the first
time today—probably for the first time this year. If you want question
time to continue, I would suggest everybody sit quietly.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : As Premier I insist that any use of public expenditure on
advertising campaigns—it is a legitimate role of government to
advertise—must contain information that is relevant and important to
the public of Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the third time
today. Member for Joondalup, I am formally calling you to order for the first
time today. And, members, that concludes question time.
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