Interview with Chris O'Keefe, 2GB
14 February 2024
CHRIS O'KEEFE: The Albanese government is going to spend $14 million on an ad campaign to tell people about the lies they told on the stage three tax cuts. When Jim Chalmers was on the program a couple of days I think it was the day they made the decision on the stage three tax cut backflip. I asked him about this and said, Hey, are you going to use Commonwealth money for a government run advertising campaign?
[excerpt]
CHRIS O’KEEFE: The advertising campaign that you're running, how much is that costing us?
JIM CHALMERS: Well, the one that we're running now is a Labor Party ad. And so the one that people might have seen on X on what used to be called Twitter, or on social media, as I understand it, that's one that's been developed, I think, by the Labor Party itself.
CHRIS O'KEEFE: So it's not a government funded ad?
JIM CHALMERS: No.
CHRIS O'KEEFE: Will there be government funded ads?
JIM CHALMERS: That's to be determined, Chris, I think there is a case for helping people understand the benefits that are coming but there hasn't been a decision taken about that.
CHRIS O'KEEFE: If you've got any costs as to what that would be?
JIM CHALMERS: No.
CHRIS O'KEEFE: Might help you make the decision.
[end except]
CHRIS O’KEEFE: $40 million is the answer. $40 million to tell us how much money we're gonna get back or how much money we won't be paying in tax as a result of the changes to the tax plan. The Shadow finance minister joins us on the line Jane, g'day. They hopped into you when Scott Morrison did the same thing.
JANE HUME: I just about fell off my chair in Senate estimates today when Katy Gallagher, the Finance Minister revealed that there was going to be a $40 million taxpayer subsidised advertising campaign to sell the government's lie on stage three tax cuts. They are spending and spinning at the same time over this lie on stage three. Essentially, we're paying for Labor's broken promise twice. It's an incredible amount to spend on a public information campaign. For let's face it, what is one single measure. It's a measure that hasn't even been included in the budget yet, it hasn't even been legislated yet. It's $40 million to tell people that they will get no more than $15 a week. I think that is extraordinary. Labor is focused on the very wrong priorities in the middle of a cost of living crisis.
CHRIS O'KEEFE: But you guys did it didn't you?
JANE HUME: Well, quite frankly, I was very concerned that maybe we had. That was certainly the inference that Katy Gallagher-
CHRIS O'KEEFE: You definitely did. Scott Morrison ran it during the 2019. I remember it clearly, Scott Morrison ran an identical government funded advertising campaign on stage one, two and three ahead of the 2019 election.
JANE HUME: I went back and I had a look at that. I had a look at that and you know, it was nothing like the cost of $40 million dollars. In fact, for stage one, stage two and stage three, which were significant reforms. It was around half of that amount of money, and it was over a number of years. What Katy Gallagher is trying to do is to compare these $40 million on one tiny measure which let's face it, is a backflip on an election commitment. She tried to compare that to the sort of money that we spend on things like Defence Force recruiting or the COVID responses. When there was a call to action, where we wanted people to apply for JobKeeper, looking to see whether they can use the instant asset write off or accelerated depreciation. It's nothing like that. This is automatic. You will automatically get these tax cuts, no matter what they simply want to advertise their government policy decision for $40 million at the taxpayers expense.
CHRIS O'KEEFE: Did you not do the same thing?
JANE HUME: No, quite the opposite. We were trying to inform people about a significant reform that was going to change the tax scale. There was a-
CHRIS O'KEEFE: Whats the difference?
JANE HUME: It's very very different.
CHRIS O'KEEFE: They're both ordinary. You shouldn't be spending taxpayer money on political decisions, full stop.
JANE HUME: Well there's a very big difference between an advertising campaign where you want people to understand, where you want to educate people as to what it is a significant-
CHRIS O'KEEFE: What do you think Labor's doing?
JANE HUME: -a reform that was taken to an election and voted on. So there was a mandate to do it. This is a backflip on an election commitment that was not just an election commitment, but something that was promised over a hundred times just in the last year.
CHRIS O'KEEFE: You don't have to convince me of that. What I'm saying is, you didn't have a mandate to run an advertising campaign. No one voted on that.
JANE HUME: Well quite frankly on Covid and health responses, on Defence Force recruiting-
CHRIS O'KEEFE: I'm not talking about that though, I'm talking about the tax cuts.
JANE HUME: And indeed on significant changes to the tax system and this is not a significant change. This is a backflip on a promise. On significant changes to the tax system that you want people to understand of course it's appropriate. This is entirely, entirely inappropriate. Labor knows that they cannot buy their own integrity back for $15 a week, so they're looking to spend $40 million to try and convince people of their lie instead.
CHRIS O'KEEFE: Well it's $86 a week if you're on the top end but anyway, I take your point and I'm not going to debate you. I can't stand this stuff. I couldn't stand it when the Morrison government did it. I can't stand it when the Albanese Government did it, but you know, it's a bit rich to be sitting here criticising them when you've done exactly the same thing but we'll leave you there Thanks, Jane, appreciate your time.
JANE HUME: Thanks, Chris