Digital firm monitors NBN Facebook page at taxpayers' expense

TAXPAYERS are funding a late-night NBN Facebook monitoring service while almost $25 million is being spent this financial year on advertising the broadband rollout. 

Government contracts show $11,715 has been given to a Queensland digital consultancy to trial an "out-of-hours Facebook monitoring service".
A spokeswoman for the Department of Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy said the money was employing monitors until midnight on weekdays and periodically on weekends.

She said the Queensland firm had been "tasked with monitoring the NBN Facebook page out-of-hours from 6pm to 12am on weekdays, and four times, 30-minute blocks each day on weekends, so that the Department can respond promptly to any urgent questions''.

It comes as the NBN was due to embark on a new round of advertising with $9 million due to be spent this month and last month.


The money was to go towards television advertising in capital cities and comes after $15 million was spent previously with the Department saying a $24.9 million tax-payer funded splurge was listed at additional estimates for 2012-13 in February.

"Labor's NBN advertising is nothing but politically motivated spin,'' Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said."At least $24 million is being spent advertising a service that virtually no Australians are currently able to access.

''Millions are also being spent on advertising other government programs with department officials saying the ads are crucial to inform the public.

"More than $17 million has been spent in the past 12 months advertising the compensation given to low income earners to counter the impost of the carbon tax.

Advertising the Schoolkids Bonus has cost $2.3 million in the past year.

"The advertising campaign helps inform parents about their eligibility for the payment and explains the differences from the previous Education Tax Refund scheme,'' a Department of Community Services spokeswoman said.

She said the carbon tax assistance campaign was necessary because "this is part of a public information process about changes taking place which directly impact on the financial circumstances of pensioners and families''.
No government money has been spent advertising the Gonski education reforms or the NDIS.

news.com.au 10 Apr 2013

The government sets up all sorts of fraudulent 'money for mates' deals at the expence of the tax payers.

Another deal where the public's tax pool is raided.

Australia's NBN is a 'white elephant', which no one can currently use.

Australian telcos are offering 100Mbps (NBN touted speeds) before any implementation of the NBN.