Question Number: 216
PDR Number: SQ22-000586
Date Submitted: 21/11/2022
Department or Body: Department of Health
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020 to 31 October 2022, the Department of Health and Aged care has expended $107.535 million (excluding GST) on advertising to inform the community on how to protect themselves from COVID-19 including through vaccination. It is not possible to separate expenditure on COVID vaccination from other measures as messages have been intertwined.
At a high level:
– the focus in 2020 was COVID safe behaviours and how to reduce the risk from and spread of COVID-19
– from January 2021 the focus shifted to the vaccination program, with supporting messages about other protective behaviours
– in June 2022 activity focused on protection from COVID-19 and influenza during winter, and
– from July 2022 there was a renewed focus on COVID safe behaviours and new information about oral treatments. Breakdown of expenditure by financial year: See table.
