The Australian Federal Government spent a record $251 million on advertising last year, raising integrity concerns and accusations of vote buying, particularly with regards to certain campaigns that serve more as self-promotion than public service, reports michaelwest.com.au.

Under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a new “Government Communications Subcommittee” has been established to oversee advertising, which has led to reduced transparency as the decision-making process is now more shielded from public scrutiny.