This Background Note provides an overview of the current administration of Commonwealth Government advertising, together with some historical information.

Advertising has been an activity of Australian governments ‘since their inception’, and campaign advertising (coordinated advertising activities designed to inform or influence behaviour), in one form or another, has been an element of government advertising in Australia since the 19th century. As the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has noted, government advertising ‘is a legitimate element of government communication and information strategies’:

• It provides a mechanism for governments to connect directly with citizens, informing them about new and existing government policies, programs or services, providing advice about their obligations, rights and entitlements, and conveying other important information.

The Commonwealth Government is a major advertiser in Australia; over the last decade it has ranked highly in surveys of advertising expenditure conducted by the Nielsen company. The ANAO has also observed that ‘the extent of government advertising activity has been the subject of ongoing debate and scrutiny over many years’.

This Background Note provides an overview of the current administration of Commonwealth Government advertising, together with some historical information. Official figures for campaign advertising expenditure for 1994 to 2011 are also provided, along with figures for non-campaign advertising expenditure for 1994 to 2008.