The Opposition is calling for the government to axe the ads, which were launched across television, radio and print media this week to promote proposed changes to higher education.
Labor’s higher education spokesman Kim Carr has alleged that the advertising campaign is in breach of government advertising guidelines, stating that the ads left out vital information.
In a letter to Secretary of the Department of Finance, Mr Carr said the information provided in the ads – such as the claim that the government would pay around half of undergraduate degrees costs – was untrue and misleading.
He also questioned the need for the advertising campaign and its associated research, which includes almost $150,000 in focus group research.
“I suggest that the only ‘need’ this campaign serves is a political one for the benefit of the Prime Minister, Minister Pyne and the Liberal Government,” he said.
“This campaign is clearly designed for political purposes to provide misleading and meaningless assurances to prospective students and the broader public.”
His Opposition colleague Sharon Bird also lashed out at the campaign, labelling it as “an atrocious waste and inappropriate use of taxpayer money”.
Both sides accused of hypocrisy on ad spending
Education Minister Christopher Pyne has refused to reveal the cost of the campaign.
The advertisements come after criticism of government advertising spending by the Coalition when in Opposition.
The Liberal Party has previously attacked Labor’s use of taxpayer funded advertising for policies such as the mining tax, the National Broadband Network and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The latter was labelled as “excessive” by Senator Mitch Fifield, now Assistant Minister for Social Services, while now-Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull labelled the NBN campaign as exaggerated.
Mr Turnbull also criticised the then-Labor Government for spending money on advertising campaigns, while funding cuts were being forced upon other programs.
Independent wants investigation into ads
The advertising push comes after the government’s initial higher education bill was voted down in the Senate last week, failing by 33 votes to 31.
A revamped version which includes concessions for crucial crossbench senators was introduced into the parliament before the summer holidays and is due back in the upper house early next year.
Independent senator Nick Xenophon - who holds a key vote on the legislation - says taxpayers should not be footing the bill.
“I've previously complained about the boat ads but at least that was government policy - this law hasn't even passed,” he told AAP.
Senator Xenophon has written to the Commonwealth auditor-general to request an investigation of the campaign against the government's guidelines.
Leader of Palmer United Party in the Senate Glenn Lazarus also criticised the campaign.
“The Abbott Government needs to cancel all advertising booked for this under-handed campaign and apologise to the people of Australia," he said.
"... Clearly Christopher Pyne has given up on texting and moved on to advertising, websites and social media."
