Daniel Andrews under fire over SEC jacket

By turning himself into a walking billboard for his plans to revive the State Electricity Commission, Dan Andrews has found himself in hot water.

Daniel Andrews and Labor have come under fire over their use of the SEC logo to spruik the party’s signature energy policy.

It comes as the SES demanded Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos stop using its branding on his election material.

The Premier donned a new jacket this week, emblazoned with the SEC logo, turning himself into a walking billboard for plans to revive the publicly owned State Electricity Commission.

Labor is also selling T-shirts carrying the same logo for $50 a piece to raise extra campaign funding.

However concerns have been raised about use of the logo that is still used by the SEC which, despite its privatisation in the 1990s, still exists as a public body.

Under Victorian law, public sector bodies must ensure any information, material or message published is in the public interest.

They must also ensure the relevant information, material or message is not designed or intended to directly or indirectly influence public sentiment.

Daniel Andrews wearing the SEC logo. Picture: Ian Wilson

This includes influencing views in favour or against a political party, candidate for election, member of parliament or current government.

According to the government’s own caretaker convention guidelines, public sector employees are required to remain apolitical and avoid involvement in political activities.

“Public sector body heads should take appropriate action to ensure that the public sector bodies for which they are responsible observe the caretaker conventions during the caretaker period, unless to do so would conflict with legal obligations,” a government website says.

Although caretaker conventions are not legally binding, they derive from constitutional practice and custom.

A spokesman for the Department of Treasury and Finance, which manages the SEC, refused to say whether it had approved use of the logo.

“While the SEC is still a statutory authority, since privatisation in the 1990s and the cessation of its trading activities, the SEC has been a shell entity and has been limited to only managing some residual liabilities related to its prior obligations,” he said.

Concerns have been raised about use of the logo that is still used by the SEC which, despite its privatisation in the 1990s, still exists as a public body. Picture: Ian Wilson

A Labor campaign spokeswoman also refused to answer questions about the logo’s use. “While Matthew Guy’s Liberals want to bring back fracking, Labor will bring back the SEC to drive down power bills and deliver government-owned renewable energy,” she said.

However a Liberal Party spokesman hit back, saying the party had this week applied to trademark the logo.

“If further proof was needed that Daniel Andrews’ thought bubble to recreate an SEC was needed, it is found in the fact that Labor or the government doesn’t even own the trademark for the SEC logo that he uses to give some legitimacy to his idea,” he said.

“On Tuesday the Liberal Party lodged a trademark application for the logo that adorns Daniel Andrews which was accepted by IP Australia, the responsible federal government agency.

“The fact that the logo was not trade marked speaks volumes.

“He has no plan to lower power prices, just a logo which he doesn’t even have trademarked.”