Labor slams government for hiring ‘football team of spin doctors’

Tasmania’s government faces fierce criticism for building a “football team of spin doctors” as it prepares to slash thousands of public sector positions.

Luke Edmunds Labor member for Pembroke. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The state government has hired enough media advisers to field an AFL team comprised entirely of spin doctors, Labor says.

Shadow Minister for Finance Luke Edmunds says there are now eighteen people on the books doing media-related jobs for the Liberal minority government.

The figures – which were released as part of routine disclosures – were disputed by the government.

“Rockliff’s football team of spin doctors grows, public sector jobs remain on chopping block,” Mr Edmunds said.

“At the same Treasurer Eric Abetz is looking to cut 2,800 public sector jobs, and Jeremy Rockliff is simultaneously growing his team of highly-paid spin doctors.

“The government’s own Right to Information data reveals that as at 30 September 2025, there were 18 FTE media-related roles on Jeremy Rockliff’s books.

“That’s an entire footy team with a salary cap of almost $3m a year.

“As at 31 March 2025, this figure was 14.4 FTE.”

The highest-paid government media adviser, the Director, Communications, Media and Public Relations, is paid a salary of between $245,000 and $310,000 a year.

Mr Edmunds said employing more media advisers to promote the government was the wrong priority at a time when budget restraint was called for.

“Most Tasmanians would be mortified to know that at a time when our state is crying out for more nurses and doctors, we’re getting more spin doctors instead,” he said.

“The fact that Jeremy Rockliff needs a football team full of spin doctors to shape his public image shows exactly why.”

A government spokeswoman said the figures included two staff members who were on maternity leave, and assumed each staff member was being paid the maximum possible salary for their classification band.

“Tasmanians have a right to be properly informed about the activities of government and expect proper communication from their elected officials,” the spokeswoman said.

A Mercury analysis earlier this year of the government’s spending on media advisers revealed their ranks had risen by between 70 and 90 per cent in the last four years.

And the number of political staff numbers has grown from 95 to 112 in four years.

The biggest growth in staff was in the media unit, which employed ten staff four years ago, up from five in 2016.

Labor had 13 when it ended its last term of government in 2014.