Australian Government

Statement by the Special Minister of State and Minister for the Public Service and Integrity, the Hon Mark Dreyfus QC, MP

Approval of Exemption to Guidelines on Information and Advertising Campaigns by Australian Government Departments and Agencies 24 July 2013

The Minister for Immigration, Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship, the Hon Tony Burke MP, wrote to me on 19 July 2013 requesting an exemption from the Guidelines on Information and Advertising Campaigns (the Guidelines) in relation to the Targeting Diaspora Communities advertising campaign. As the Special Minister of State, the campaign advertising framework provides that I may exempt a campaign from compliance with the Guidelines on the basis of a national emergency, extreme urgency or other compelling reason. I inform Parliament that on 19 July 2013 I exempted the campaign from the Guidelines, on the basis of extreme urgency. I have accepted the Minister's advice that the major change to asylum seeker policy must be communicated to diaspora and other communities most affected in Australia as soon as possible so that asylum seekers considering coming to Australia are made aware of the changes.

This exemption means that the campaign will not need to be reviewed by the Independent Communications Committee or certified by the Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). Notwithstanding this exemption, DIAC will still be required to comply with the underlying principles of the Guidelines and other whole-of-government requirements relating to the campaign advertising framework.