Cost Of Publicity $169,047 Last Year

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32007, 6 June 1969, Page 18

Cost Of Publicity $169,047 Last Year

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 5. Apart from three journalists seconded to the Prime Minister’s office, no journalists were actually based in Ministerial offices, the Acting Minister in Charge of Publicity (Mr Adams-Schneider) said in a written reply to a question in Parliament today.

“But the information and press section of the Tourist and Publicity Department does provide up to 16 journalists, as available, on daily assignments to meet the needs of Ministers and their departments,” he said.

Mr J. L. Hunt (Lab., New Lynn) had asked if Mr Adams - Schneider would indicate the Ministers who had publicity division members and public relations officers seconded to their offices.

It was not possible to Isolate the cost of public relations services in respect of any individual Minister, said Mr Adams-Schneider.

He was answering several questions from Opposition members of Parliament who sought the cost per month, or the annual cost, of providing such services for the Ministers of Labour, Indus-

tries and Commerce, and Finance, and the Prime Minister. Mr Adams-Schneider said that in practice, although information and press journalists were assigned to assist Ministers with some aspects of their work, these journalists spent only part of their time on such duties.

"The cost of providing such services for each Minister would therefore depend upon the time involved, which varies from day to day, but which, in total, would represent only a part of a journalist’s salary,” he said.

Mr Adams-Schneider said the direct cost of the information and press section of the Tourist and Publicity Depart-

ment for 1968-69 was $169,047, of which $135,760 was for salaries.

"This section, in addition to providing service to Ministers, is also involved in many other projects. It makes available to all media of public communication, information on the activities of the Government and departments, promotes interest in subjects of public welfare and safety, carries out public relations work and publicity advertising campaigns for departments and organisations sponsored by the Government, and provides official news services overseas.”

Subjects given persistent attention include campaigns on behalf of other departments, such as health and education campaigns, road safety, water safety, and mountain safety.

Qther questions and answers dealing with the topic were: Mr G. A. Spooner (Lab., Wanganui): Do Ministers without seconded public relations officers have free access to the publicity division of the Tourist and Publicity Department?—Any Minister may, at any time, request the assistance of the information and press section for publicity services concerning his portfolio or the activities of his departments. Mr P. A. Amos (Lab., Manurewa): Will he disclose whether public relations services for the Minister of Broadcasting are supplied from the Tourist and Publicity Department or by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation?—Public relations services for the Minister of Broadcasting are provided by the Publicity Division of the Tourist and Publicity Department. No such services are provided by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, as it is not a Government department