Victorian Numbered Acts

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT (PUBLIC SECTOR COMMUNICATION STANDARDS) ACT 2017 (NO. 39 OF 2017) - SECT 5

After Part 5 of the Public Administration Act 2004 insert —

" Part 5A—Communication and advertising by public sector bodies

        97A     Objects of this Part

The objects of this Part are—

        (a)     to establish standards to ensure that public sector communication is in the public interest; and

        (b)     to ensure that public sector communication is not party political; and

        (c)     to provide for specific standards for public sector communication advertised on television.

        97B     Purpose for publication of public sector communication to be in public interest

    (1)     A public sector body that publishes or causes to be published a public sector communication must ensure that publication is in the public interest.

    (2)     Without limiting subsection (1), the regulations may prescribe public interest purposes for the purposes of this section.

        97C     Public sector communication standards

A public sector body that publishes or causes to be published a public sector communication must ensure that the public sector communication—

        (a)     is not designed or intended to directly or indirectly influence public sentiment for or against—

              (i)     a political party; or

              (ii)     a candidate for election; or

              (iii)     a member of Parliament; or

              (iv)     the current Government of the State; or

              (v)     the current Government of the Commonwealth; and

        (b)     is otherwise in accordance with the prescribed public sector communication standards (if any).

        97D     Advertising public sector communication on television

    (1)     A public sector body that advertises or causes to be advertised a public sector communication on television must ensure that the purpose of the public sector communication is one of the following—

        (a)     to promote public safety, personal security or behavioural change;

        (b)     to promote social cohesion, civic pride or community spirit within the general public;

        (c)     to promote commercial or economic development within the State;

        (d)     to generate revenue for public sector bodies or for the State through consumption of products or services delivered by or in partnership with public sector bodies;

        (e)     to promote compliance with legislative requirements.

    (2)     In addition to the requirements of subsection (1), a public sector body that advertises or causes to be advertised a public sector communication on television must do so in accordance with any applicable standards and requirements under section 97E.

        97E     Advertising standards and advertising requirements for public sector communication generally

A public sector body that advertises or causes to be advertised a public sector communication must do so in accordance with the prescribed advertising standards or prescribed advertising requirements (if any).

Examples

Purchasing a placement in a newspaper for printing a public sector communication or purchasing a placement on the radio for the broadcast of a public sector communication.".