Independent Report on the Australian Better Health Initiative Campaign (October 2008 – June 2009) — Indigenous communication materials

To the Minister for Health and Ageing

Introduction

The Government Guidelines on Campaign Advertising by Australian Government Departments and Agencies (the Guidelines) state that Government information and advertising campaigns can only be approved for launching by the responsible Minister where:

• the Chief Executive of the agency undertaking the campaign certifies that the campaign complies with the Guidelines and relevant Government policies; and
• for those campaigns with expenditure in excess of $250 000, the Auditor-General provides a report to the Minister responsible for the agency undertaking the campaign as to the proposed Campaign’s compliance with the Guidelines.

On 14 October 2008 the Auditor-General provided you with his report on the Australian Better Health Initiative Campaign (October 2008 – June 2009), administered by the Department of Health and Ageing. The report was unqualified but noted that, as of the date of the report, the materials relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people from a non-English speaking background had not been produced. As such this material was outside the scope of the review. The Department of Health and Ageing undertook to provide this material to the Auditor-General separately for review against the Guidelines before the material was publicly released.

Scope

I have now undertaken a review of the Indigenous communication materials for the Australian Better Health Initiative Campaign (October 2008 – June 2009), to enable me to report on the compliance of this element of the campaign with the Guidelines.

The Guidelines state that advertising campaigns should be instigated only where a need is demonstrated, target recipients are clearly identified and the advertising campaign is based on appropriate research, and require that:

• material should be relevant to government responsibilities;
• material should be presented in an objective, fair and accessible manner;
• material should not be directed at promoting party political interests;
• material should be produced and distributed in an efficient, effective and relevant manner, with due regard to accountability; and
• advertising must comply with legal requirements.

The criteria I have used to make my assessment of the proposed materials compliance with the Guidelines are the matters specified at paragraphs 11 to 24 of the Guidelines on Campaign Advertising by Australian Government Departments and Agencies published by the Department of Finance and Deregulation in June 2008.

Responsibilities of the Department

Agencies subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 must comply with the Guidelines as a matter of Government policy. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing has certified that the Indigenous communication material complies with the Guidelines.

The Auditor’s Responsibility

My responsibility is to express, in this assurance report, an independent conclusion based on my review.

My review is conducted in accordance with the Australian Standard on Assurance Engagements ASAE 3000 Assurance Engagements Other than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information issued by the Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. My review is designed to enable me to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence to form a conclusion whether anything has come to my attention to indicate that the advertising campaign does not comply, in all material respects, with the Guidelines.

Review methodology

I have now reviewed the Indigenous communication materials for compliance with the Guidelines. In forming my conclusion, I have relied upon:

• an examination of the Indigenous communications material including radio commercials, editorials, advertorials, posters, booklet, and merchandise artwork;
• an examination of the certification provided by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing dated 10 November 2008; and
• the enquiries I conducted and the procedures I performed in the course of my review of the Australian Better Health Initiative Campaign (October 2008 – June 2009), which are outlined in my report dated 14 October 2008.

The ANAO review did not extend to an assessment of the general system controls and supporting procedures in place in the Department to manage its advertising activities, but focussed on matters relating specifically to the Indigenous communication materials for the Australian Better Health Initiative Campaign (October 2008 – June 2009). A review of this nature provides less assurance than an audit.

Conclusion

Based on my review described in this report, nothing has come to my attention that causes me to believe that the Indigenous communication materials for the Australian Better Health Initiative Campaign (October 2008 – June 2009) do not comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Government’s Guidelines on Campaign Advertising by Australian Government Departments and Agencies.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE

Steve Chapman
Deputy Auditor-General
Delegate of the Auditor-General
Canberra, 20 November 2008