The Howard Government is more than twice as keen on self-promotion and propaganda than on addressing climate change.

Since 1996, the Howard Government has spent over $1.5 billion on Government advertising, but only spent $670 million on climate change programs.

John Howard's climate change scepticism has blocked action by Australia to address the real and present threat of climate change.

The Howard Government’s priorities instead lie with self promotion. The Howard Government has become the first Government in Australian history to crack $1.5 billion in taxpayer funded advertising

Much of this money has come in the form of massive spikes in advertising, usually in the lead-up to elections, and next year will be no different.

This shameful figure is attained by combining the $1.27 billion in advertising placement spent between Financial Year 1996/97 and 2005/06, and $250 million in taxpayer advertising buried in the 2006 Budget.

Included in this figure is $208.5 million for advertising placement in Financial Year 2005/06, that was mysteriously missing from the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Annual Report and revealed in Senate Estimates.

Instead of addressing climate change, this money has been torched on taxpayer funded propaganda to try to get the Liberal and National parties re-elected.

Under John Howard, it’s self-promotion first, then daylight second – with action on climate change in last place.