The Victorian Premier has become the most ‘liked’ Australian politician on social media after spending more than $280,000 of taxpayer dollars on Facebook ads.
Premier Daniel Andrews funneled $281,469 into promoting his Facebook page in the past two years – helping him amass an impressive 387,000 followers on the social media platform.
The controversial advertising method earned him the title ‘vain Premier’ from his critics who claimed he was misusing taxpayer dollars, the Herald Sun reported.
Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured with wife Cath) funneled $281,469 into promoting his Facebook page in the past two years
Victoria Greens’ Greg Barber said the taxpayer funded advertising was ‘the ultimate insult’.
‘They made a big deal of their ban on taxpayer-funded political advertising, but then they left themselves a sneaky loophole so the Premier can spend as much as he wants through his Facebook account. Typical dodgy Labor.’
Guidelines ban taxpayer funded government ads from TV and mainstream media, but do not apply to Facebook.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said the department was using taxpayer funds as a Labor campaign slush fund.
‘Three years in and Daniel Andrews’ priority is buying Facebook friends for his vanity project rather than solving chronic congestion. This Premier puts his ego first and people second,’ Mr Guy told the Herald Sun.
The controversial advertising method earned Mr Andrews (pictured with his wife Cath) the title ‘vain Premier’ from his critics who claimed he was misusing taxpayer dollars
Guidelines ban taxpayer funded government ads from TV and mainstream media, but do not apply to Facebook (Mr Andrews’ Facebook profile picture)
The $281,469 price tag for Facebook ads did not include the cost of social media staff running the page or video producers creating its content.
With the help of sponsored posts, the Premier’s Facebook page garnered 387,000 followers, surpassing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Facebook page which fell short at 372,646 likes.
While his Facebook posts reached millions of viewers, the department racked up huge advertising bills.
For a post urging Victorians to ‘like’ the Premier’s page, the department spent $977.88.
The January post asked Victorians to ‘like’ the page if they supported the introduction of medicinal cannabis.
The January post asked Victorians to ‘like’ the page if they supported the introduction of medicinal cannabis
With the help of sponsored posts, Mr Andrews’ Facebook page garnered 387,000 followers, surpassing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Facebook page which fell short at 372,646 likes
The department paid $606.42 in September 2016 when the page made a post about the Grand Final public holiday saying: ‘If you’re reading this it’s grand final Friday eve’
The department paid $606.42 in September 2016 when the page made a post about the Grand Final public holiday saying: ‘If you’re reading this it’s grand final Friday eve’.
The post was a spin on musician Drake’s latest album cover.
Despite the costs, the Department said it saved $20 million in advertising costs over three years.
A government spokeswoman told the Herald Sun the department was using Facebook to advertise because it was the most effective way of sharing information with Victorians.
‘Daniel Andrews wants to reach people ages 18 and older who live or were recently near Melbourne, Victoria,’ a Facebook post reads
The department ‘abolished’ taxpayer-funded political advertising in 2015.
The Andrews Labor Government committed to ‘tightening’ government advertising – including a requirement restricting unfunded projects from being promoted in paid advertising.
The department said it was a step towards ‘reducing the cost to taxpayers’.
‘We won’t waste public money on political advertising for shonky or imaginary projects,’ the department said in April 2016.
In July this year the government said ‘we are delivering on our promise to return integrity to government advertising by strengthening oversight and introducing legislation to ban political advertising’.