Environment
State ads for mill cop blast
GOVERNMENT advertisements spruiking the Gunns pulp mill have been criticised in an Auditor-General’s report.
Auditor-General Mike Blake yesterday released a wide-ranging report on the Government’s advertising activities.
The pro-pulp mill advertisements and information bus, commissioned by former Premier Paul Lennon at the height of the assessment process in 2006-07, were criticised in the report for having a political impact.
“The only objective that we could see to the bulk of advertising and bus content was to win hearts and minds in favour of a prominent government policy,” the report said.
“We could not identify any intended action or improved understanding for the public.”
Mr Blake said he was particularly concerned that the campaign could have undermined the Resource Planning and Development Commission’s assessment of the $2 billion pulp mill project.
The audit was commissioned after revelations earlier this year that the State Government spent $195,000 on secret Tasmanian Community Surveys.