Why Tell Us Canberra Is A Great Place? - We Already Know!!!

ACT Promotional TV Ads Political

Wayne Berry - Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism

Media Statement - 7 February 2000

Labor Shadow Tourism Minister Wayne Berry has called for the full details of the Carnell Government's new ACT marketing campaign following the revelation that the television advertising will be confined to the ACT region.

Recently, Mr Berry in revealing the new campaign, relayed community concerns when he said, "The full details of planned expenditure at each step of the strategy must be made available for community scrutiny. We must also be allowed to see the development and evaluation strategies that accompany the campaign.

"The Canberra community become very nervous each time the Chief Minister proposes some grand and expensive scheme which she claims will be good for us, only to discover the plan is more like castor oil - tastes terrible and you never feel better after being dosed with it.

"Canberrans still have a nasty taste left over from Chief Minister driven spectacles like the 'Feel the Power' campaign, the hospital implosion, the Bruce Stadium, the Futsal slab, etc, etc. Spectacular disasters because of the human and financial consequences left for the community to cope with.

Today Mr Berry said, "The decision to confine television advertising to the ACT region has disturbing similarities to the use of the discredited 'Feel the Power' campaign as part of the Liberals' 1998 election campaign.

"I welcome efforts to raise the profile of the Territory with an innovative publicity campaign but it is difficult to see how expensive television advertising to the people who already live here to improve the ACT as a tourist destination is money well spent.

"We know Canberra is a great place to live, but reminding us will not get the message out about the other faces of Canberra beyond our region - meanwhile the rest of the country will remain in ignorant bliss.

"After the disastrous 'Feel the Power' campaign it is about time we saw the full details of every cent that has been spent and is planned to be spent.

"Limiting the television campaign to the Canberra region has all the hallmarks of a feel good political campaign which attempts to restore political confidence in the floundering Carnell Government but doesn't bring extra tourists here.

"I challenge Kate Carnell to demonstrate how high-cost advertising calling on Canberrans to urge relatives and friends to come to Canberra is a sensible expenditure of taxpayer's money.

"I would happily commit Labor to co-signing a letter to every household with the same message, thereby saving the high cost local television advertising for more elsewhere.