26-05-2025
Queensland LNP government spends millions on ads to spruik own policies
Queensland's new LNP government is spending millions of taxpayer dollars on advertising campaigns to spruik its youth crime, housing, and health plans.
Several campaigns have been launched by the government in recent months, including one that highlights the second tranche of the Making Queensland Safer laws.
The government has confirmed to the ABC it plans to spend about $1.85 million on ads about youth crime.
The campaign promotes the latest instalment of the "adult crime, adult time" legislation, as well as the government's move to make Jack's Law permanent.
The government has also confirmed plans to spend $1.45 million on another ad campaign dubbed A Place to Call Home, which publicises its housing initiatives.
The ads promote scrapping stamp duty on new builds for first home buyers, and the government's commitment to deliver 53,500 social and community homes by 2044.
A Place to Call Home was one of the key planks in the LNP's Right Plan for Queensland's Future, rolled out ahead of the October state election.
The government is also set spend $1.41 million on an ad campaign spruiking what it has labelled the Hospital Rescue Plan.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls launched the plan last month after a review into the former Labor government's hospital capacity expansion program.
The new government has vowed to deliver 2,600 beds, which it includes in its ads.
The projected cost of all three campaigns is $4.7 million — excluding earlier ads for the first round of the Making Queensland Safer laws.
"With the expansion of the laws, it [the Making Queensland Safer campaign] continues to roll out during April and May, along with health and housing initiatives," a government spokesperson said.
The spokesperson defended the expenditure by claiming the Crisafulli government was spending less taxpayer funds on ad campaigns than its Labor predecessors.
The campaigns are still underway, so the final price tag is yet to be determined and could come in at less than the planned cost.
Last year, the LNP criticised the then-Labor government's move to spend more $2 million advertising its Big Build infrastructure plan.
The campaign included multiple ads with tailored messages for regions across Queensland.
At the time, the LNP's David Janetzki, who is now the treasurer, accused Labor of using the ads to boost its re-election campaign ahead of the October poll.
The government has an internal committee that is responsible for ensuring ad campaigns deliver value for money and comply with an advertising code of conduct.
The code requires materials don't give prominence to the voice or image of an MP, mention the party in government, or include party political slogans.
