Stating the obvious really. Not reigning in. Stopping. No taxpayer funds for any Party political activity. None.

Don't forget though all governments today do it, use our money to try and tell us how winderful they are while we miss out on services.

I must say the Howard government's advertising on cancer, which exceeded the money spent on research etc on cancer, is the bottom of the barrel.

No more, not one red cent.

I tend to agree with you Pegasus; I hate it when they waste our money.

Some government ads could be legitimate. For example, reminding us not to drink drive. Letting us know about total fire bans.

There are important information opportunities that the government fails to inform us on.

They failed to inform the public that the census last year was compulsory. The little nicey feel good promotions just explained that the census was nice, and it was for nice people.

They also fail to remind us about water waste, please don't fill the pool, we are really serious this time, and so on.

They didn't inform us on traffic problems caused by the QMII and the QEII this year. They will not inform us sufficiently about the disruption caused by APEC. For example, they will de-scramble our phone systems in Sydney, the traffic will again ground to a halt, but of course: are too lousy to give us a holiday so that we can stay out of the way. So we have this mess.

Meanwhile, more adds on how "wonderful" their economy is. Wonderful for some, but not for all. Yes, I agree with John Howard, they risk being annihilated due to their own arrogance.

Anyway, moving right along to the post-Howard years, I agree with Andrew Bartlet. Information for public is important, but it must be agreed from bipartisan approval. That way it is not just a waste of money to promote a political party.

"Honest?" john is perplexed at the Australian electorate turning its back on him and his party. Maybe, other than his and his parties constant lies and their total arrogance, it is his what could be seen as corrupt use of tax payers money to prop up his lying out of touch liberals. So there is no Parliamentary backing for the new "revised fairer?" workplace laws - so much easier to ignore and forget them should these clowns be re-elected and ,knowing the honesty of these liberal politicians that would be sure to happen.
Then there is the total disdain and utter contempt howard has for all us voters shown, once again, by him trying to bribe us to vote for him. And sending the latest leader of the nationals into Queensland with their proverbial 'brown paper bag' will just re-kindle the memories we have of Joh's nationals and their 'brown paper bags' howard could not have made a better choice as brown paper bags and national party politicians go so well together eh? Regards, numbat

"Democrat senator Andrew Murray has gone further in a bill proposing that only ad campaigns with bipartisan approval be allowed in the last six months of a parliament."

- why just the last six months?

Under what circumstances would legitimate government advertising not receive bipartisan approval? If those circumstances arise then that can become a point of difference at the following election.

R0bert

Okay no taxpayer funds for advertising (though how we would be informed is an interesting question) but no funds to the political parties either, especially union funds which have always given the ALP an unfair advantage - or place a strict monetary limit on what can be spent on all these activities and insist that the media gives equal coverage to all groups as well. Giving the minor parties the same amount of media space would really have the big ones worried.
The other interesting question would be "at what point do government information campaigns become political advertising?" They all do it - South Australia's Rann had an extraordinary tax payer funded media blitz just before the last election.

another cat belling discussion. subjects will advance on local member, cap in hand, and "humbly pray": "please sir, could we have less theft, corruption, lies, and waste of taxes?: local member replies, "there, there, gummint is too complicated for you lovable but simple subjects, leave it to us professionals, we'll take care of you."

and then? then nothing. you vote for the other mob and a year after they get in, you can't tell them apart. year after year, same old story and you never catch on.

the reason pollies are such crooks is, ozzies are such mugs. why should they change?