Allan government will spend $100k on hiring social media influencers to spruik plans to use influencers in Big Build marketing campaign

The Allan government will throw cash at hiring social media influencers to spruik the Metro Tunnel — some $4bn over budget — when it opens later this year.

Social media influencers will be used to spruik the opening of the Allan government’s $15bn Metro Tunnel when it opens later this year.

Influencers will also be used to promote the Westgate tunnel as part of an estimated $110,000 Big Build marketing campaign.

A contract has been awarded by the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (MTIA) for “an influencer strategy (and) influencer content” for the projects.

It comes as the Allan government reels from the fallout of Werribee by-election which exposed the collapse of support in a key heartland electorate and raised questions about the direction, strategy and ability of the government to connect with local communities.

The six month contract, which ends in June, is expected to “generate awareness and educate the community regarding the opening of the Westgate and Metro tunnels, including required behaviour changes and the benefits of the new infrastructure.”

The Metro Tunnel Melbourne Picture: Vic Gov

Altshift — the company awarded the lucrative contract — has offices across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and promises to “win hearts and change minds through exceptional storytelling.”

“It’s something we’re uniquely set up to do, because we bring behavioural scientists and creative thinkers together with comms specialists, for ideas that are as effective as they are strategic,” its website boasts.

The company has worked with major brands including Disney, the AFL, Mazda and government agencies the TAC and Sustainability Victoria.

“We use behavioural science and insights to take out the guesswork. And we blend creativity with scientific rigour to deliver campaigns that have measurable outcomes and drive genuine change,” Altshift’s website claims.

It can also be revealed almost $3m in contracts has been awarded for crisis management for safety incidents, probity breaches, and reputational impact.

Aerial images over the Westgate tunnel project. Picture: David Caird

Metro Tunnel was initially scheduled to take passengers by 2026, and cost $11bn, but the operational date was brought forward by a year in 2018, by then-premier Daniel Andrews.

Since 2018 there have been a series of cost blowouts, including a bill of $2.74bn announced in 2021 that was shared between builders and the taxpayer.

The total project budget is now expected to be more than $15bn, with the Allan government promising to run passenger trains by 2025.

The Westgate Tunnel, which the government says will “slash travel times by up to 20 minutes”, is also expected to be open by later this year.

Labor insiders say they expect the projects to give the Allan government a boost in the polls and reset public perception about the benefits of investment of major transport infrastructure despite worsening economic conditions.

It is also hoped that the projects boost support for the controversial $34.5bn Suburban Rail Loop both among the community and within government, where some MPs remain concerned about its cost and viability.

Works underway on the Suburban Rail Loop site at Heatherton. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Victorian government has repeatedly been warned about the risk of a damaging credit downgrade, which would lead to increased borrowing costs and further drive up ballooning debt, it persists with the SRL.

Earlier this month, S & P Global Ratings, again warning of a downgrade if the government failed to curb rising operating costs and cost blowouts.

It currently rates Victoria worst of all Australian states, with a AA rating, raising concerns about the state’s revenue and new spending.

Despite rising labour and material costs, S & P’s latest report raised concerns about states’ appetite to reassess projects.

In 2018 former federal Health Minister, Greg Hunt, ordered his department to dump social media “influencers” from its advertising campaigns after a Herald Sun investigation exposed how taxpayer money had been spent hiring bikini models to post fitness pictures to Instagram.

The influencers the health department spent more than $600,000 on included people who had promoted controversial detox “skinny teas”, uploaded photos of themselves smoking and endorsed sun tanning.

Originally published as Allan government will spend $100k on hiring social media influencers to spruik plans to use influencers in Big Build marketing campaign