More than 150 spin doctors are jammed into major road and rail projects, documents show

The Andrews government has defended its massive spend on spin doctors for major infrastructure projects as the cost to the taxpayer is revealed.

A spin machine army of 154 communications and public relations staff has been stationed across seven Andrews government transport agencies and projects.

The PR platoon, which is likely to cost well in excess of $15m a year, has been slammed by the state opposition as a “Big Build” propaganda unit.

But the government has defended the communications spend and said that many staff were involved in community engagement — including telling Victorians about changes to their daily commute.

The Andrews Government is spending big on its communications and public relations staff for the state’s ‘Big Build’ projects. Picture David Crosling

Documents obtained by Shadow Treasurer David Davis under Freedom of Information show that the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority — which includes the Level Crossing Removal Project, Rail Projects Victoria, Major Roads Projects Victoria, the North East Link, the West Gate Tunnel and the Office of the Director-General — employed 132 full-time equivalent communications and public relations staff in 2020.

On top of that, the government said there were 22 “strategic communication and engagement” positions at its $30-34.5bn Suburban Rail Loop Authority during the MTIA’s peak PR point.

At that time the LXRP had 40 full-time equivalent staff to lead the spin machine army.

Documents also show a big spend on advertising for the government’s Big Build program, which the opposition says has had big budget blowouts.

Over a 16-month period in 2021 and 2022, there was $2.54m spent.

Daniel Andrews has been slammed for spending taxpayer cash on making ‘himself look good’. Picture David Crosling

Mr Davis said there had now been $60m spent since before the last election on spin, ads and promotion.

He said the number of spin doctors wouldn’t fit across the MCG if socially distanced, and that Premier Daniel Andrews liked to spend taxpayer cash on making “himself look good”.

“These enormous sums of wasted taxpayers’ money could have been spent on so many other necessary projects, helping small businesses hit by lockdowns recover, dealing with the ballooning hospital waiting lists or fixing the worsening ambulance crisis,” he said.

A government spokeswoman said: “If the Liberals had ever built a major transport project, they’d realise Victorians want to know when their travel plans might be disrupted”.

“With 165 major projects being delivered, more than half of Victoria’s population has had their daily commute disrupted – and we’ll keep communicating with them to ensure they get to school, work and everywhere else on time.”

Originally published as More than 150 spin doctors are jammed into major road and rail projects, documents show