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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-05-16 Daily Xml
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Grievance Debate

Government Marketing Campaigns

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:12): There is an old saying that there is one born every day, and in this cabinet, in this government, Frontier Touring and the people organising influencer camps and freebie deals have found their mark. This government has been willing to sign off on campaigns and, indeed, the Minister for Tourism just admitted that she herself personally approved expenditure on campaigns that have left other states laughing at South Australia that indeed had been identified by advertising experts and gurus—including Labor's favourite, Dee Madigan, who ran the ambos' union campaign in the election—as completely missing the mark.

It is extraordinary that the minister comes in here with so much front to suggest that these innovative campaigns, such as getting influencers to come to a Sam Smith concert, paid for largely by the people of South Australia, to promote Sam Smith's album, to promote Sam Smith's tour, allegedly to promote South Australia but with no evidence suggesting that it has done so.

Meanwhile, this government is paying influencers to come here, fly here, stay in fancy hotels, drink taxpayer paid-for alcohol and, indeed, have the time of their lives to get, as one of the TikTok stars described themselves, 'a bit messed up', to talk about vaping and to post photos of themselves at McDonald's and talk about South Australia in some really unusual terms for a marketing campaign. This is what this minister said was disruptive, was quirky, was reaching a new audience. There are people who have different views on the quality of this campaign, and I will advise the house of a few of them. Dee Madigan, as I mentioned, from Campaign Edge said of the campaign:

I get what they're trying to do, but it's not a smart strategy.

Barry Urquhart of Marketing Focus, when he was asked if these campaigns worked, replied:

…does influencing actually work? Increasingly not so. I think a lot of people are now starting to say that there is a credibility gap on what they are trying to influence if there is a financial gain.

Which, of course, everyone knows there is. Matthew Abraham, not a well-known cheerleader for the South Australian Liberal Party, told FIVEaa listeners last week:

The influencer strategy is morally bankrupt, and they should dump it and so I am giving Zoe Bettison 2 out of 10.

On ABC radio last Monday night, the Minister for Human Services was asked about this. She said:

…with this particular one I think they've certainly learnt some lessons and these are decisions that people have to make all the time—do you have this face fronting your brand, or do you have this face fronting your charity, ambassadoring for you, they are difficult choices and due diligence has to be shown.

In this case, it is very clear that due diligence was not shown.

A case was put to the Minister for Tourism. She just admitted it was put to her herself, and she thought that it was a good idea. She thought that amidst a cost-of-living crisis, where South Australian taxpayers are fighting hard to deal with escalating bills—$17,000 a year increased cost of living for the average mortgage holder in South Australia—and they are asked to stomach the idea that an innovative, quirky, disruptive campaign that the Minister for Tourism likes is worth their hard-earned. It is actually really galling. It is an extraordinary misuse of taxpayers' funds.

Despite the fact that their estimates of how many people would see the campaign have been wildly overblown, and shown to be so by their own research, the minister is still out there defending it day after day, talking about disruption. In fact, today in question time the minister was asked three questions, and most of her responses talking about the government's approach to tourism were to talk about the events: the Gather Round (which, of course, the opposition supported), LIV Golf, where the South Australian government gave money to the Saudi Arabian government—

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Florey is called to order.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —and indeed, of course, the 500, which is not even in the Minister for Tourism's portfolio. It was taken away from her and handled by the Premier and, for some reason, the member for Mawson. The fact is that the minister's running of the tourism department is in serious—

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: I see there is a point of order from the member for Mawson.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: The member said that the South Australian government gave money to the Saudi Arabian government. It did nothing of the sort, and I ask the member to withdraw.

Mr Tarzia: Bogus, chuck it out.

The SPEAKER: Order! I am not certain that the point of order that has been raised finds a home in any of the standing orders before me. If it is the case that the member has taken offence in relation to matters raised in the house, then I will need to know what it is, exactly, that identifies the member himself, and I am not sure necessarily the comments did—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! We are addressing the point of order raised by the member for Mawson.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: I was saying that the member was misleading the house. He caused no offence to me.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! If that be the case, there is a procedure for ensuring that that matter, if it be the case, be dealt with. But this is not the appropriate course to do so. I am going to return to the member for Morialta.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The South Australian government gave money to LIV Golf; the Saudi Arabian government has a financial interest in LIV Golf. That was the point I was making.

Amidst a cost-of-living crisis, this government is giving money to influencers to get drunk and to talk about South Australia in completely unflattering terms. It is giving money to Sam Smith, an international superstar, to promote his album and to promote his tour. Sam Smith and Frontier Touring got great value out of this deal; South Australians did not. It is a disgrace.

It took 10 years for South Australians to find out that the Labor Party in government paid nearly $4 million to Lance Armstrong. They should front up and admit how much they have paid for these influencers and for Sam Smith, so that the South Australian people can judge whether this extraordinary waste was worth their dollars.

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