- Published by:
- Department of Premier and Cabinet
- Date:
- 5 Mar 2026
About the 2023–24 advertising plan
In developing the advertising plan for 2023–24, each advertising campaign proposed by Victorian Government departments and agencies was carefully considered and assessed.
The government's 2023-24 advertising plan included a significant investment in interstate and international advertising to promote Victoria as tourism destination, and recruitment campaigns promoting roles in the education, healthcare and community services sectors.
As in previous years,the plan also included campaigns raising awareness of disruptions and service changes caused by major road and rail infrastructure projects, and campaigns promoting fire and water safety during summer, road safety and safety in the workplace, and supporting the TAFE sector.
The government considered these activities critical to delivering its strategic priorities for Victoria, while representing an effective investment of public money.
Each individual campaign included in the government's annual plan underwent a detailed review process before being approved to commence, to ensure the level of advertising expenditure planned for the campaign was prudent and represented the minimum amount required to achive the campaign's strategic objectives.
Adjusting the annual advertising plan
Government advertising priorities may chnage throughout the year in response to changing circumstances or emerging issues (such as natural disasters or public health emergencies). Therefore, some advertising included within the government's annual advertising plan may not take place as planned, while additional advertising may be required that was not anticipated in the advertising plan.
Advertising necessary to alert the community to unexpected emergencies (such as severe heat warnings or floods) is considered on a case-by-case basis and in not included in the annual advertising plan.
Reporting on government advertising expenditure
Each year, the Victorian Government publishes a report on total government advertising expenditure for the previous financial year, and a report summarising. significant advertising campaigns undertaken during the year. These reports can be found online at www.vic.gov.au/advertising-plans-and-spend.
Departments and agencies also report details of any advertising campaigns with media advertising costs of $100,000 or more, within their respective annual reports.
Non-campaign advertising
This advertising plan summarises Victorian Government advertising campaigns undertaken in 2023-24. As detailed above, 'campaign' advertising is generally intended to communicate a particular message or change people's behavior over time - for example, TAC road safety campaigns.
The Victorian Government also undertakes a range of 'non-campaign' advertising, which compromises 'functional' advertising (such as requests for tender, notifications about community consultations and road closure notices) and recruitment advertising for specific roles.
While campaign advertising accounts for the majority of government advertising expenditure, the government also has measures in place to ensure non-campaign advertising is undertaken in a cost-effective manner.
For example, since July 2022, government bodies have been able to post some functional public notices on the Victorian Public Notices website, rather than use paid advertising in print newspapers.
Advertising standards in legislation
In September 2017, the government passed legislation to strengthen governance of communication and advertising undertaken by public sector bodies, by introducing Part 5A to the Public Administration Act 2004.
Part 5A includes measures to restrict government television advertising to five purposes or 'priority areas'. No other government television advertising is permitted under the Act. As detailed within this report, all government advertising campaigns in 2023-24 contributed to one of these five communication 'priority areas'.
In 2018, the government also introduced Regulations under Part 5A of the Act to further strengthen governance of public sector communication and advertising. The Act and the public Administration (Public Sector Communication Standards) Regulations 2018 can be viewed online at www.legislation.vic.gov.au.
Further guidance for departments and agencies is provided at www.vic.gov.au/victorian-government-communication-requirements.
Government campaign advertising in 2023–24
All campaign advertising undertaken by the Victorian Government during 2023–24 fulfilled one of five ‘priority areas’ for government communications
1. To promote public safety, personal security and behavior change
2. To promote social cohesion, civic pride and community spirit within the general public
3. To promote commercial and economic development within the state
4. To generate revenue for public sector bodies or for the state through consumption of products, services or events delivered by or in partnership with public sector bodies
5. To promote compliance with legislative requirements.
These communication priority areas mirror those included in Part 5A of the Act, which set out the requirements for government advertising on television.
The chart below shows spending for each priority area as a proportion of the government's overall expenditure on campaign advertising for 2023-24.
More information about each priority area, including examples of significant advertising campaigns undertaken in 2023–24, is provided on the following pages.
Priority area 1: Public safety, personal security and behaviour change
The Victorian Government invests significantly in the promotion of safe and responsible behavior, to advise of disruptions to government services, and to promote programs that help people stay safe and well.
Public health
In 2023–24 the Department of Health undertook campaigns to recruit mental health professionals to work in Victoria and encourage Victorians to contact 000 for emergencies only. The department also undertook various public health and safety campaigns promoting mental health and wellbeing services, public fertility care services, winter COVID/flu health prevention, and prevention of mosquito-borne diseases.
Road safety and workplace safety
In 2023–24, the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Department of Transport and WorkSafe Victoria continue to deliver critical safety messages to reduce the risk of deaths and injuries. Campaigns promoted responsible behaviour and practices and educated Victorians about how to stay safe on the roads, the public transport network and in the workplace. This included campaigns from TAC highlighting the importance of safety gear for motorcyclists, and the dangers of speeding, distractions, and drink and drug driving, particularly during holiday periods.
Victoria’s Big Build
Continuing in 2023–24, government campaigns provided the community with information on major transport infrastructure projects, including road and rail projects in Melbourne and regional Victoria, such as level crossing removals, the Metro Tunnel, West Gate Tunnel, North-East Link and Regional Rail Projects. Advertising informed the public of transport disruptions and project progress and promoted alternative transport arrangements during construction.
Preventing family violence and abuse
During 2023–24, the government continued its major, long-term initiative to prevent family violence and abuse. The program was supported by advertising intended to change behaviour through the ‘Respect Women: Call It Out’ campaign, as well as campaigns aimed at keeping older people and LGBTIQ people safe from family abuse.
Community safety
Victoria Police continued to run advertising to promote the Police Assistance Line and Online Reporting service and its ‘Made for More’ recruitment campaign for Police Careers. The Department of Justice and Community Safety undertook major seasonal campaigns to improve community understanding of fire and fire risk, including the Fire Danger Rating System, and increase water safety and reduce drowning incidents. The department also undertook a recruitment campaign to attract applicants to careers in corrections and youth justice.
Priority area 2: Social cohesion, civic pride and community spirit
Advertising in this priority area supports Victorians to participate in public life, engage with their community, understand their rights and responsibilities and contribute to Victoria's many cultural, social and natural assets.
Community services careers
In 2023–24 government undertook a major campaign, ‘Jobs That Matter’, to promote the many rewarding careers available in Victoria’s community services sector. The campaign covered roles helping Victorians across child protection, housing and homelessness, disability and family violence sectors.
Australia Day events
The Victorian Government used advertising to promote Australia Day 2024 activities around the state, including free family events in Melbourne’s CBD.
Foster Care Attraction
Campaign advertising was used to generate enquiries from potential foster carers and emphasise the rewarding role foster carers from all walks of life, cultures and communities can play in the lives of children and young people.
Priority area 3: Commercial and economic investment in Victoria
This priority area includes advertising campaigns that help grow Victoria's economy and promote investment by increasing employment investment by increasing employment and career opportunities, promoting business and commercial development, and encouraging regional growth.
Education and training support
Campaigns in 2023-24 promoted the Learn Local service as a provider of low-cost adult education for priority audiences, providing them with skills and training to help address workforce skills shortages. Government also undertook a dedicated in-language campaign to communicate the benefits of TAFE for career changers and upskillers and encourage TAFE consideration and enrollment among multicultural communities.
Education and early childhood recruitment
In 2023–24 the Department of Education undertook local and interstate recruitment campaigns to attract teachers to the early childhood and primary and secondary school sectors. Campaigns also highlighted the Free Kinder and Kinder Tick programs, and the ‘Many Talents One VCE’ campaign, increasing awareness of changes to VCE vocational pathways.
Priority area 4: Generation of revenue for institutions or events
This priority area supports Victoria's many iconic arts and educational institutions and major events, which offer world-class attractions, events and services, including marketing Victoria's tourist attractions and major events to local and interstate audiences.
Creative Victoria campaigns
In 2023-24, advertising by Creative Victoria institutions such as Museums Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and the National Gallery of Victoria informed Victorians about the range of world-class events and exhibitions available at these iconic venues.
TAFE and vocational institutions
Victorian TAFE institutions undertook advertising in 2023-24 to inform prospective students about their unique course offerings, and encourage them to explore the opportunities for learning, development and advancement offered by TAFE qualifications.
Victoria's nature attractions
Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary and Werribee Open Range Zoo are iconic tourism drawcards, family destinations and centres for learning and conservation. In 2023–24 these attractions promoted the many experiences offered at these venues and encouraged Victorians to visit, explore and learn about the natural heritage of Australia and the world.
Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix
In 2023–24, advertising campaigns promoted the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix and Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island, to both local and interstate audiences.
Tourism promotion
In 2023–24, Visit Victoria launched its major new ‘Victoria/Melbourne: Every Bit Different’ brand campaign, to promote the unique and diverse attractions of Melbourne and Victoria to local, interstate audiences and overseas audiences.
Priority area 5: Compliance with legislative requirements
When there are changes to laws or regulations that affect Victorians, government has a responsibility to communicate the changes to assist the transition to new requirements.
For wide-ranging changes, advertising provides an essential means of reaching as many affected people as possible.
Raising awareness of workplace rights and responsibility
In 2023–24, Industrial Relations Victoria and Wage Inspectorate Victoria undertook advertising to enhance compliance with long service leave requirements, raise awareness of Victoria’s child employment laws, and help protect the rights of workers in the gig economy.
Consumer Affairs Victoria
During 2023–24, Consumer Affairs Victoria undertook a campaign to raise awareness among renters and owners of rental properties of the new minimum standards for rental properties in Victoria.