THE Bracks Government is expected to spend more than $80 million advertising
itself this year.

It spent $11 million on TV, radio and newspaper ads in just the 51 days to
November 27, documents leaked to the Herald Sun show. This figure means
Victorian taxpayers are spending more than $216,000 a day to sell the
Government.

With $80 million, the Government could build nine police stations, 15
secondary schools, employ 1226 teachers or nurses or 1143 policemen, or
treat 25,205 more people in hospital.

Opposition Leader Robert Doyle said it was a shameful waste of taxpayers'
money.

The leaked tally of advertising space bought by the Government was prepared
by AC Nielsen for private media buyer Mitchell & Partners, but the total
cost of advertising is unknown, with millions spent on other promotional
material, including mailouts and printing costs.

A government spokeswoman said the Bracks Government did not have a contract
with Mitchell & Partners, so figures could not be checked. The spokeswoman
said $80 million was consistent with average spending on advertising since
2003.

About three years ago, the Auditor-General set the cost of all government
advertising at $70 million, she said. Up to a quarter of that amount is for
recruitment advertisements and the majority is for public education
campaigns.