Political experts label Andrews Government’s $1m federal election attack ads ‘questionable’

Despite promising to put an end to “blatant political advertising” Daniel Andrews has come under fire for airing taxpayer-funded attack ads to footy fans at the MCG on Easter Monday.

The Andrews Government is facing increased pressure over its federal election attack ads, with footy fans subjected to the taxpayer-funded campaign on Easter Monday.

The $1 million campaign that calls for “Our Fair Share” of funding from “Canberra” was flashed across screens at the MCG, almost five years after Premier Daniel Andrews promised to put an end to “blatant political advertising”.

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“Now some cynics would say ‘oh everyone’s done this’, well I’m going to put an end to this,” Mr Andrews said at the time.

He slammed the then Coalition Government ahead of the 2014 election for bankrolling the expensive Moving Victoria campaign that spruiked the yet-to-be-built East West Link and airport rail.

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten on the campaign trail with Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Ian Currie

Melbourne University Political Science Professor Sally Young said the publicly-funded campaign was “questionable”, given it targeted federal government spending on the eve of an election.

“This is an Australian political tradition that both sides of politics say they won’t do,” she said.

Political expert Nick Economou said the ads doubled as an attack on the Morrison Government and a bargaining chip for the Andrews Government to use if federal Labor is elected next month.

“They want to establish that they helped defeat the Coalition, that they helped Labor get elected so when the election is over they can say ‘you owe us’,” he said.

“It’s designed for post-election bargaining … in an attempt to strengthen Victoria’s hand in the next round of funding for infrastructure.”

Today, we're launching a new campaign – and I wanted you to be the first to see it. The message is pretty simple.

Victorians are sick and tired of being ripped off by Canberra. pic.twitter.com/1zYaCKN1lu

— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) April 13, 2019

It is understood the ads, launched on April 14, were designed to complement a federal Labor campaign attacking the Morrison Government’s health and education “funding cuts”.

They appear to skirt around Victorian laws that ban “public sector communication” that influences “public sentiment for or against the current Government of the Commonwealth”.

While the ads refer to “Canberra” instead of the Morrison Government, the state opposition referred government department heads involved in the campaign to the state’s anti-corruption watchdog.

Appalled to see Victorian taxpayer dollars being spent on political advertising @MCG over the weekend. Disgraceful behaviour by @DanielAndrewsMP pic.twitter.com/0e3qVo8wPU

— Cindy McLeish (@CindyMcLeishMP) April 23, 2019

“People go to the footy to enjoy the game, not to be bombarded by their tax dollars being spent on election advertising by Daniel Andrews for Bill Shorten,” shadow treasurer Louise Staley said.

But a government spokesman again defended the ads yesterday, saying Victoria had been “short-changed for far too long”.

“This campaign is about Victoria getting its fair share from Canberra, no matter who wins the next election,” he said.

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