[Muanet] Focus groups don't like govt IR adverts

[Chris Latham]

It doesn't work

September 15, 2005

THE Federal Government is set to guarantee workers 10 sick days a year
but 
secret focus groups used to trial its $20 million advertising campaign
on 
workplace reforms have been left confused and concerned about the
changes.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the Government used storyboards for its 
upcoming TV advertising blitz to test voter reaction but those who took
part 
felt they were still left in the dark.

Among the revelations in the secret sessions was a plan to enshrine a 
minimum of 10 days annual sick or personal leave in legislation and a 
proposal to send a booklet to every household to promote the reforms.

The Federal Government is also using two of at least six ads to spruik
the 
benefits of individual contracts, showcasing a removalist working longer

daily hours in exchange for days off and another worker putting in 43
hours 
a week so he can send his daughter to a private school.

Sources in the secret focus groups have revealed that the main
government 
commercial - described as the "motherhood" ad - focused on economic
issues 
and appealed to people's patriotism, using the theme "Australia we have
an 
opportunity".

But this was poorly regarded by the focus group participants who felt it
was 
light on detail and distant from people's lives. It was also noted that 
virtually no blue-collar workers appeared in the main ad.

A further three advertisements focused on the legal protection that
would 
remain under the reforms, including unlawful dismissal provisions,
retention 
of awards and protection of "some conditions".

Again these raised concerns among the focus groups, with people feeling
the 
ads avoided the issue of abolishing unfair dismissal laws and implied
that 
if a worker left an award he or she could not return to it. Already 
employers can force new employees to sign individual contracts as a 
condition of employment.

Another ad in the campaign bears the message that unfair dismissal laws
cost 
the economy $1.3 billion a year, although that figure has been since 
discredited by business academics.

The two focus groups known of by The Daily Telegraph were in suburban 
Melbourne and regional NSW. It also emerged that those in the city group

were paid $100 each while those in the country received just $50.

The Government is facing a High Court challenge to the estimated $20
million 
campaign, with Labor and the ACTU alleging it is a misuse of taxpayer
funds.

The ACTU said the use of the focus groups showed that the Government's 
claims that it was an information campaign were false and that the
material 
was political propaganda.

"It should be paid for by the Liberal Party not the taxpayers," its 
secretary Greg Combet told The Daily Telegraph.

"It's sneaky, tricky and misleading. It's clearly not designed to give 
people the facts. It's designed as a con job."

The Daily Telegraph

This report was published at dailytelegraph.news.com.au