Senator Faulkner asked the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Science and Training, upon notice, on 9 June 2004:

(1) For each of the financial years, 2003-04 and 2004-05: (a) what is the cost of this advertising campaign; and (b) what is the breakdown of these advertising costs for: (a) television (TV) placements; (b) radio placements; (c) newspaper placements; (d) printing and mail outs; and (e) research.

(2) What: (a) creative agency or agencies; and (b) research agency or agencies; have been engaged for the campaign.

(3) When will the campaign begin, and when is it planned to end.

(4) If there is a mail out planned, to whom will it be targeted and what database will be used to select addresses - the Australian Taxation Office database, the electoral database or other.

(5) (a) What appropriations will the department use to authorise any of the payments either committed to be made or proposed to be made as part of this advertising campaign; (b) will those appropriations be made in the 2003-04 or 2004-05 financial year; (c) will the appropriations relate to a departmental or administered item or the Advance to the Minister for Finance and Administration; and (d) if an appropriation relates to a departmental or administered item, what is the relevant line item in the relevant Portfolio Budget Statement for that item.

(6) Has a request been made of the Minister for Finance and Administration to issue a drawing right to pay out moneys for any part of the advertising campaign; if so: (a) what are the details of that request; and (b) against which particular appropriation is it requested that the money be paid.

(7) Has the Minister for Finance and Administration issued a drawing right as referred to in paragraph (6) above; if so, what are the details of that drawing right.

(8) Has an official or minister made a payment of public money or debited an amount against an appropriation in accordance with a drawing right issued by the Minister for Finance and Administration for any part of the advertising campaign.

Senator VANSTONE (Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Reconciliation) —The Minister for Education, Science and Training has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) (a) The following amounts have been allocated for the advertising campaign: 2003-04 - $0, 2004-05 - $4 million. (b) (a) to (d) The advertising strategy, including the distribution of expenditure between the various communication mediums, is yet to be determined. My Department has engaged the services of a market research consultant to undertake market research. The findings of the research, including the best communication strategies to successfully reach the target audiences, will inform the development of the higher education reforms campaign, (e) The initial phase of market research will cost $88,000 (including GST). The cost of subsequent phases of market research will be dependent on the outcome of the communication strategy.

(2) (a) No creative agency has been engaged as yet. It is expected that a creative agency will be engaged once the communication strategy is finalised, (b) Worthington Di Marzio Pty Ltd has been engaged to undertake the initial phase of the market research.

(3) The campaign is expected to begin in September/October 2004 and run until the beginning of 2005 as previous research has shown that this is the optimal time to target students, the primary target audience. My Department will also, however, be looking to the market research findings to refine this timing to ensure the campaign is run at the most effective time for students.

(4) The advertising strategy, including the expenditure on various communication mediums, is yet to be determined. The findings of the market research will inform the strategy, including what mail-outs, if any, will occur.

(5) (a) The Department will use departmental appropriations for new policy funding, (b) These Departmental appropriations will be made in the 2004-05 financial year, (c) The appropriations will relate to a departmental item, (d) The relevant line item in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2004-05 Education, Science and Training Portfolio is Departmental Appropriations Output Group 2.4 - Funding for Higher Education (refer to Table 2.2.1: Total Resources for Outcome 2).

(6) No.

(7) No.

(8) No.