Page 1209 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 March 1991
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Radio is not an expensive medium. The first time I was involved with my party's advertising on radio I was extremely surprised at how inexpensive it is. I am quite certain that, whatever modest budget Mr Stevenson has for the next campaign, he could, if he chose to, afford to advertise on radio. This ban covers radio and television advertising.
As the Chief Minister has pointed out, the problem is that this proposal by the Federal Government does not cover other forms of advertising, most notably direct mail. We know what the ALP is doing in respect of direct mail advertising - and it is advertising. It is not writing to the constituents of the Territory seeking their views; it is advertising. It is not actually advertising the Australian Labor Party, but it is advertising Ms Follett and seeking people's votes.
At least there are regulations applying to television and radio stations about the way in which advertisements may be presented. There are no such restrictions on direct mail advertising. I do not know whether the Australian Labor Party is a member of the direct selling association, or whatever it is called, but I rather doubt it. Perhaps they should belong, but they probably do not. The sorts of restrictions that would flow to television advertising here are not applied to direct mail advertising. So, what controls are there? Absolutely none.
The Opposition argues that governments are influenced by donations. I treat that as an admission that some influence was exercised by the Australian Labor Party's receipt of a donation from the pornographic industry before the last election - - -
Mr Jensen: Which they did not declare.
MR HUMPHRIES: Which they did not declare.
The other point being raised by the Opposition is that the cost of campaigns in this country is too great; it means election by auction; it means that the bigger spenders can do better than the poorer spenders - a strange comment in view of the last election outcome in the ACT, I would have thought. Nonetheless, the claim is made that elections are costing too much, it is a gross waste of money, et cetera, et cetera - again, strange words from the party that probably outspent all the others several times over in the last campaign.
The point has to be made that, if there is a concern about the cost of campaigns, the more logical approach would be to restrict the cost of those campaigns, not to ban one particular form of advertising. If the Labor Party came forward with a suggestion that we should put a cap on the amount spent by parties and individuals in election campaigns, that may be a more realistic proposition. But
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