Government advertising and accountability

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Government advertising and accountability

6 December 2005

© Commonwealth of Australia 2005
ISBN 0 642 71593 9

View the report as a single document - (PDF 3089KB)


View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Members of the Committee (PDF 87KB)
 
Terms of Reference (PDF 91KB)
 
List of Tables (PDF 111KB)
 
List of Figures (PDF 111KB)
 
List of Abbreviations (PDF 112KB)
 
Executive Summary (PDF 177KB)
Introduction
Commonwealth government advertising since 1996
WorkChoices campaign
High Court challenge and appropriations process
Accountability framework
Disclosure
Guidelines
Auditor-General scrutiny
 
Recommendations (PDF 93KB)
 
Chapter 1 - Background to the inquiry (PDF 199KB)
Establishment of inquiry
Government cooperation with inquiry
Evidence from Minister Abetz
What is government advertising?
Need for the inquiry
Structure of the Report
 
Chapter 2 - Expenditure on Commonwealth government advertising since 1996 (PDF 211KB)
Expenditure and trends
Methodological issues in reporting
Distinguishing market research and consultancy costs
Reporting under different criteria
Conclusion
 
Chapter 3 - Nature and extent of government advertising since 1996 (PDF 196KB)
Major campaigns since 1996
Comparison with previous federal government practice
Justification for government advertising campaigns
Conclusion
 
Chapter 4 - Appropriations process and the WorkChoices campaign (PDF 225KB)
Budgeting for government advertising
WorkChoices advertising campaign
High Court challenge
Implications of the High Court judgement
Aftermath of High Court decision
Conclusion
 
Chapter 5 - Decision-making processes (PDF 225KB)
Introduction
The decision-making processes
Criticisms and issues relating to the MCGC and GCU processes
Conclusion
 
Chapter 6 - Adequacy of the guidelines for government advertising (PDF 208KB)
The 1995 Guidelines
Revising the 1995 guidelines
Auditor-General's principles and guidelines
Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit
Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
Government arguments against revision of 1995 guidelines
Conclusion
 
Chapter 7 - Enforcement of guidelines and other accountability mechanisms (PDF 239KB)
Sufficiency of guidelines
Enforceability of guidelines
Other accountability mechanisms
Conclusion
 
Government Senators' Minority Report (PDF 177KB)
Justification of expenditure on government advertising
Costs and practicality of independent review
Whether there is a need for a ‘legislative base’
Comments by the Clerk of the Senate
 
Appendix 1 - List of Submissions, Tabled Documents and Additional Information (PDF 114KB)
 
Appendix 2 - Public hearings (PDF 85KB)
 
Appendix 3 - WorkChoices advertisements
(Only available in PDF format)
(PDF 312KB)
 
Appendix 4 - MCGC GCU processes
(Only available in PDF format)
(PDF 135KB)
 
Appendix 5 - Guidelines for government advertising campaigns (PDF 141KB)
 
Appendix 6 - Annual report on the Government of Canada's advertising – Key information
(Only available in PDF format)
(PDF 525KB)
 
Appendix 7 - Annual report on the Government of Canada's advertising – Major campaign details
(Only available in PDF format)
(PDF 1251KB)
 
Appendix 8 - Government advertising expenditure by type  1995-1996 to 2004-2005
(Only available in PDF format)
(PDF 204KB)
 
Appendix 9 - Answers to questions on notice - Government Communications Unit, PM&C
(Only available in PDF format)
(PDF 566KB)

For further information, contact:

Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Finance and Public Administration
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia

Phone: +61 2 6277 3439
Fax: +61 2 6277 5809
Email: fpa.sen@aph.gov.au