The Australian government is set to spend more than $174m on advertising this financial year in the lead-up to the federal election.
The ad spend will cover 15 simultaneous campaigns set to run across TV, radio and print media as the government races to spend the money ahead of the next election.
The government spent #38 m in advertising in the first half of the financial year and is on track to spend $136m in the second half, according to The Syndney Morning Herald.
It is the most investment a government has made on advertising in a decade and has been met with heavy criticism from the opposition party and independent politicians.
The advertising spend, which is funded by tax-payers dollars, has been criticised as a PR-exercise to help the government win favour among voters ahead of the election campaigns.
The government is expected to call the next election this week, which is likely to be held on 18 May or 25 May. Once this process is in motion the government can only use party funding for its advertising campaigns.
The two major parties have agreed an advertising truce over the Easter break with no election advertising scheduled to run on Good Friday, Easter Sunday or Anzac Day.
