Australian social media influencer paid $600,000 of taxpayer money

Social media ‘influencers’ are being paid a whopping $600,000 by the federal government to promote women’s health. 

In the past 18 months, the Health Department has paid thousands of dollars to the ‘social media stars’ as part of a campaign, Daily Telegraph revealed. 

Those hired to by the government to promote women’s health are sponsored by alcohol companies, and one who promotes ‘extreme dieting’. 

Lina Grant (left) and Chloe Ting (right) are sponsored by the campaign. However, experts say the money is being wasted because there is no impact from social media stars 

Experts have told the publication that the money is being wasted because there is no impact from the social media ‘stars’. This has led Health Minister Greg Hunt to launch a review into the funding of the program.

This comes as a report by data analysis company Lumio revealed that most of the followers for the influencers are ‘ghost’ followers, meaning they just follow and do not interact with posts.

Shocking data has revealed the health department has already spent $718,100 since 2016 to hire influencers. 

Some of the women hired as part of the campaign include Lina Grant who is sponsored by Jacob’s Creek prosecco Spritz, and Chloe Ting who posted videos encouraging fast weight loss and ‘how to grow a bigger butt.’

At the beginning of the campaign, 27 women influencers were hired to post only 33 posts. And since January this year a total of $237,057 was spent. 

Chloe Ting who posts videos encouraging fast weight loss and ‘how to grow a bigger butt’