The Abbott government is using taxpayer funds for an advertising blitz to sell its controversial higher education changes.
It has justified the undisclosed expense by arguing students need to know more about the contentious changes, especially what is planned for the HECS loan scheme.
The Senate last week rejected a suite of measures that, among other things, was set to deregulate university fees.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne has since tabled a modified version of his rejected legislation, which parliament won't consider before February next year.
Students and academics have been strident in their opposition to the changes.
The advertising campaign, which began on Sunday, helps counter "myths and misconceptions" about the higher education system and raises awareness of HECS, a spokesman for Mr Pyne told AAP.
Feedback from potential students at 2014 careers fairs and university open days indicated a lack of understanding about the planned changes.
The campaign comprises television and newspaper ads as well as a website.
Mr Pyne won't say how much the campaign will cost.
He and other government MPs have argued there is a need to counter the "$100,000 degree scare campaign" coming from Labor and the National Tertiary Education Union.
Universities Australia, which supports deregulation but wants some changes to the government plans, has recently been running its own advertising about the reforms.
Labor Leader Bill Shorten said spending taxpayer money on a plan already rejected by the Senate was an absolute disgrace.
"No amount of slick advertising will make this look any better," he told AAP in a statement.
The Greens are similarly scathing, saying the choice of where to run ads just showed Mr Pyne was out of touch.
"If there are still students left watching TV, these ads will surely make them rush to Netflix and other online services," higher education spokeswoman Lee Rhiannon said.
Independent senator Nick Xenophon labelled the ads an outrageous use of taxpayers' money and thinly-disguised political advertising.
"If the government wants to run these ads, then the Liberal Party can pay for them, not taxpayers," he told AAP.
Senator Xenophon, who helped block the initial legislation, will be issuing a formal complaint to the auditor-general.
"I've previously complained about the boat ads but at least that was government policy - this law hasn't even passed."
