Govt to advertise Budget rights

Press, 6 November 1984, Page 2

Govt to advertise Budget rights

By

MICHAEL HANNAH

in Wellington The Government will pay for advertisements to apK immediately after the jet to inform people of their rights and obligations under Budget measures. The advertisements, described as public service announcements yesterday by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, are likely to tell people how, when, and where they can get in touch with Government offices to help them “fulfil their obligations or get some benefit.” .. .. ■ ' ..

. The .content of the, .advertisements is a secret and even Mr Lange said he did not know yet what they said. But he said that they were announcements and not advertisements.

They will appear in newspapers, on radio, and possibly on television. Mr Lange defended their placements as necessary to reach the maximum number of people. “In times past, Governments have taken out newspaper advertising to tell Sle how they might fulfil obligations or get some benefit,” he told a post-Gabinet press conference. The Government would not take out free time on television to make the announcements which would not. be political, he said.; . He hinted at some of their content when asked whether the news media could not be trusted to explain the Budget satisfactorily. He replied: “If the media

give an undertaking that they will publish the addresses and times and appointment hours for certain offices, I will be thoroughly glad. But I do not say anything at all about the Budget being complicated. It is not.” He likened the advertisements to public announcements placed in the past on the introduction of National Superannuation, or the annual advertisements placed by the Inland Revenue Department to taxpayers on filling their tax forms. He said that no-one would be required to go to Government agencies on the Friday morning after the Budget was presented to claim rights or fulfil obligations.