The Howard Government's industrial relations information campaign and the limits to incumbency advantage
Date
2006
Authors
Van Onselen, P.
Errington, W.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Conference paper
Citation
Empowerment, Creativity and Innovation: Challenging Media and Communication in the 21st Century, 2006: pp.1-10
Statement of Responsibility
Van Onselen, P. and Errington, W.
Conference Name
Australia and New Zealand Communications Association Conference (2006 : Adelaide, South Australia)
Abstract
The concept of the permanent campaign was recently reviewed by American political scientists Mann and Ornstein (2000). At the 2005 ANZCA conference we discussed the extent to which the permanent campaign had come to Australia, using communications strategies at the 2004 federal election as a case study. This paper analyses the Howard government’s $55m information campaign to sell its new industrial relations (IR) reforms. The expensive advertising campaign was spread across newspapers, television channels, radio stations and even internet sites. It was widely criticised by media professionals, politicians and interest groups alike. The IR information campaign was an example of permanent campaigning in so far as it was an overtly partisan information campaign in the middle of an electoral cycle. However, it also revealed the limitations of incumbency advantage. Public anger over the plethora of taxpayer funded IR advertisements was symptomatic of declining public trust in politicians not to partake in overtly partisan activities. It may be that non-partisan government advertising that genuinely informs the public of initiatives and outcomes is of more political benefit to a government than overtly partisan campaigns such as the recent IR campaign.
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
Access Status
Rights
Copyright status unknown