'Mummy blogger' Facebook posts, polo shirts and a conference room: How the Education Department is spending more than $31million of our money on advertising
- Education Department spent more than $25million on advertising in one year
- The government also spent more than $60,000 on 'social media influencers'
- 'Quality Schools' advertisements over past six months cost additional $9million
The Education Department has spent more than $25million of taxpayers' money on advertising in one year - with a chunk of the cash going towards 'mummy blogger' Facebook posts.
The large sum of money was spent on advertising campaigns in 2017-18, according to data obtained from the government's AusTender website, Nine News reported.
Part of the campaign tapped into the social media market, with the government spending more than $60,000 on 'influencers' including 'The Organised Housewife' and 'Fat Mum Slim'.
Part of the campaign tapped into the social media market, with the government spending more than $60,000 on 'influencers' including 'The Organised Housewife' (pictured) and 'Fat Mum Slim'
The Organised Housewife has released a number of blog posts to help prepare parents amidst the start of the school year.
In a 'news alert', 'school is back' post Fat Mum Slim wrote 'child care is going to be more affordable for more families'.
The post was 'brought to you by the Department of Education and Training'.
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A new conference room at Education Department headquarters in Canberra cost taxpayers more than $425,000.
Promotional merchandise such USB digital storage devices, polo shirts and lapel pins were an additional $20,000.
On top of the $25million, the 'Quality Schools' advertisements over the past six months cost $9million.
Promotional merchandise such USB digital storage devices, polo shirts and lapel pins were an additional $20,000
Education Minister Dan Tehan said the Quality Schools campaign seeks to inform the community about the changing of funding.
Despite this, Shadow Minister Tanya Plibersek labelled it a stunt ahead of the federal election in May.
'In wasting money this sort of money on social media influencers or advertising, when it could be spent on resources in our classrooms or extra teachers, tells you all you need to know about Scott Morrison's priorities,' she told Nine News.
'You go and ask a P & C at any school - mums and dads spending their weekends doing a sausage sizzle or a cake stall - what difference $60,000 or $100,000 could make to their school, they would be very quick to tell you about the extra resources they'd buy with that sort of money.'
Tanya Plibersek (pictured) labelled the education campaigns a stunt ahead of the federal election in May
Executive Director of The Parenthood Alys Gagnon agreed the timing of the advertisements was a bit suss as it 'stinks of electioneering'.
Ms Gagnon said she didn't have a problem with the type of marketing the government decided to use but rather the price.
'What I have a problem with is the government choosing to prioritise marketing over the funding of education,' she said.
The heightened discussion of the education ad campaigns comes after revelations taxpayers had spent more than $215million on advertising for the government since January 2018.
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