Prime Minister Julia Gillard has defended her government's $25 million carbon tax campaign despite calls from the Federal Opposition to stop wasting taxpayer money.
Launched last night, the $12 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign, which aims to garner public support for the controversial carbon tax, was created in partnership with Smart Melbourne. An additional $13 million has also been set aside for a public information campaign.
Gillard defended the campaign yesterday, despite accusations from the Opposition that the Labor party has previously attacked the Howard Government for using taxpayer money in advertising.
"Let's get a sense of size and scale here," she told the Nine Network. "You remember as I remember the more than hundred million dollars used in Work Choices advertising."
"We've been very upfront with people that there would be twelve million dollars of television advertising and another thirteen million dollars allocated to getting people the information they need ... There has been a lot of fear around, a lot of misconceptions so we want to get to people the accurate information they need to prepare for this change."
Meanwhile, the Australian Trade and Industry Alliance, which includes members of the National Retail Association, The Minerals Council of Australia and the Australian Coal Association, is expected to launch its $10 million campaign in coming days.
The government campaign is the latest in a string of carbon tax-related campaigns which are currently hitting the market. The "Say Yes Australia" campaign featuring actor Cate Blanchett promoted the tax, and was backed by numerous organisations including political activist group GetUp!
The Australian Coal Association has also released work opposing the tax. The NSW Business Chamber also ran a campaign opposing the tax in the electorates of key independent MPs Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott.
The Minerals Council of Australia has also released a campaign supporting Australia's mining industries, although it says the campaign is "apolitical" in nature.
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