Government advertising and communications

Why this is important

Government agencies regularly communicate with the public about important issues, such as services, changes to the law, and health and safety. Government advertising and communications appear in a range of formats, including print, radio, television, outdoor displays and online or other digital platforms.

Agencies need to comply with a range of laws to ensure government advertising and communication is apolitical and in the public interest. This includes the Public Administration Act 2004 and Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. 

Our 2022 report Government Advertising examined 2 advertising campaigns in detail and found that they were not apolitical. We also found that agencies did not always evaluate their campaigns and that their reporting on advertising costs was incomplete.

Since 2022, agencies have increased their use of social media advertising. It is important that agencies are supporting their staff to share apolitical content and manage privacy risks regardless of whether they are delivering messages online or through more traditional formats. 

What we plan to examine

We plan to examine if government advertising and communications comply with required standards and are cost-effective.

Who we plan to examine

Department of Education

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

Department of Government Services

Department of Health

Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions

Department of Justice and Community Safety

Department of Premier and Cabinet

Department of Transport and Planning

Department of Treasury and Finance

Suburban Rail Loop Authority

Victoria Police

Further information

This builds on our report Government Advertising (2022).