Scott Morrison releases ad promoting government’s bushfire response
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has released a social media ad campaign, promoting what he and his government have done in response to Australia’s ongoing bushfires which are burning across multiple states.
The campaign comes amid ongoing backlash over Morrison’s inadequate response to the crisis and his earlier claims that the fires were a state issue which did not need federal government interference.
“What you cannot have in these situations is governments stepping over the top of each other in responding to a natural disaster like this,” he said at a press conference on Friday, adding later, “what we won’t allow to happen is for governments to be tripping over each other in order to somehow outbid each other in the response”.
Morrison, however, has since ramped up the federal response, including calling in Australia’s defence force, which is now being promoted across various social media platforms.
Morrison, however, has claimed the promotion is not an advertisement, according to the ABC.
“It wasn’t a Liberal Party-sponsored ad, it was authorised by me — I’m the leader of the Liberal Party — that’s the only authorisation I can post on something that is posted on my [Facebook] page,” he said.
“The same thing that applies to other politicians in Australia … it is simply complying with requirements of Australian law.
“To infer from that that there was some other purpose in these communications — I reject absolutely — absolutely — and the commentary on that along those lines, I think, is false.”
Thus far, the promotion has not been well received on social media.
Advertising! There is something not right about running political advertising during a devastating National Crisis. It’s like being ‘sold to’ at a funeral. PR Crisis 101: say less and do more.(Btw, the bouncy elevator music is too juxtaposing and really annoying.) #bushfires https://t.co/lv9JEVl8bY
— Todd Sampson (@toddsampsonOz) January 4, 2020
1) Party-political advertising milking ADF support to civil agencies fighting bushfires is a clear breach of the (reciprocal) non-partisanship convention applying to both the ADF & Ministers/MPs. 2) Also cliche-ridden. 3) Its "defence force", not "Defence Force". #auspol #ausdef https://t.co/RlepHHbIx9
— Australia Defence Association (@austdef) January 4, 2020
If you’d like to assist with bushfire recovery, relief and rescue efforts, please explore the options below:
- New South Wales Rural Fire Service
- Victorian Country Fire Authority
- South Australian Country Fire Service
- Queensland Rural Fire Service
- Salvation Army Disaster Appeal
- St Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Appeal
- Australian Red Cross Disaster Recovery and Relief
- WIRES (Wildlife Rescue) Emergency Fund
- Koalas in Care
- Western Australia Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Don’t know which media agency is suggesting the government spends money on these distasteful ads. Another waste of the taxpayers money.
Poor strategy, poor execution and most importantly, poor ethics.
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I saw this just after watching the PM on TV, backed by Gladys in the background looking away and clearly uncomfortable. The ad struck me then as a measure of panic. Clueless panic reaction to the public’s anger.
ScoMo brands himself as just one of the punters. But is in fact one of those people who thinks he’s smarter and more entitled. He simply does not get it. His flaws are unravelling in public, faster with every moment of unscripted pressure.
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Incredibly tacky
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Terrible judgment and a waste of money. ABC News has been far, far more useful to people in fire ravaged areas. Real news.
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This is the difference between content intended to INFORM (“this is what is happening”) and content intended to ENGAGE “this is why we’re great”. It feels here they’ve tried to create social content, rather than news/editorial content, and it’s bitten them in the arse. This is not a time to engage, it’s a time to inform, help, educate and hopefully reassure.
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Didn’t expect any better from this Prime Minister or any of his team. This is how they operate.
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It’s legitimately shocking that his team is clearly as clueless and incompetent as he is.
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That’s just…. bizarre.
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…. but somehow not surprising.
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If only they’d put this campaign budget towards underfunded fire services. They’ve chosen to boost their public approval rating over saving lives.
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This has TG written all over it.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-08/topham-guerins-boomer-meme-industrial-complex/11682116
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What tone deaf timing by #ScottyFromMarketing
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I agree with Duncan, it is tacky.
This is why leaders need good Comms people who are NOT simply focussed on ‘spin’ but rather making the truth more impactful.
My question is, who are our PM’s Comms team and why are THEY letting him down like this? Who really approved and authorised the release of something this junior in the midst of a national crisis?
Perhaps a simple infographic would’ve served the purpose of communicating this information in a shareable form, but social media algorithms tend to favour videos.
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Career politicians, guided by aspiring career politicians, all with little to no real-world industry experience. It’s not really surprising when you think of it.
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It is my opinion that this bush fire devastation will continue as long as the government continues to rely on a hand full of volunteer heroes to protect us from this ever increasing threat. These fires destroy huge areas of land,multiple properties and human life and then the government expects a pat on the back for providing grants etc. I might be a bit slow, but why not spend this money up front and ensure that our rural fire fighting capability is funded appropriately, and heaven forbid, maybe even pay these men and women that risk and sometime lose their lives. Australia is changing and the threat of these devastating bush fires is increasing whilst the government attempts to cut the operating budgets of our rural fire fighting heroes.
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Karl and Ali are great bring back Tim and Richard and it will the best the others are ok but not the same
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