The Morrison Government has been “awarded” for its “Australia’s Making Positive Energy” campaign, which promotes the Government’s self-proclaimed efforts in tackling climate change.
However, it’s not the the type of award they would have hoped for. In fact, it’s a “Public Disservice” award, which was handed out last week at the 2022 F-List Awards, recognising the ads, campaigns, and agencies that “promote the fossil fuel companies that are most responsible for the climate crisis.”
The campaign – created with The Monkeys, who were co-winners of the award – uses bright colours, a sleek interface, and cutesy fonts to promote the Morrison Government’s investments in clean technologies, as well as its claims 61 per cent of electricity will come from renewable sources by 2030.
The campaign also suggests there has been a 20 per cent reduction in Australia’s emissions over the previous two decades, emphasises the government’s net-zero emissions by 2050 target, and showcases burgeoning initiatives, including feeding livestock seaweed, via FutureFeed.
However, the F-List Awards – an initiative by the Australia-based Comms Declare, and the US-based Clean Creatives – were not so warmly in favour of the campaign.
According to Renew Economy, the campaign cost $31 million worth of taxpayer funds, which will go towards print, online and TV ad placements. Reportedly, this is more than four times what the Morrison Government spent on preparing its long-term emissions reduction strategy.
“Using public money to harm the public interest has rightfully earned The Monkeys this award for Public Disservice,” said Clean Creatives, Duncan Meisel.
“The Australian government is holding the planet back with their commitment to the expansion of the coal, oil, and gas industry, and The Monkeys play a crucial role in this official obstruction.”
“What The Monkeys have done for the Australian Government sets them apart in the field of greenwashing and misinformation.”
Comms Declare founder, Belinda Noble told Renew Economy the “Australia’s Make Positive Energy” campaign was designed to hide the Morrison Government’s significant shortcomings on climate action.
“When you consider Australia is ranked bottom of the world for climate policy, the “Positive Energy” campaign is a real achievement in making monkeys out of all Australians,” she said.
“Spending more on promoting giving seaweed to cows than actually giving seaweed to cows is a brazen move that would even make tobacco executives blush.”
“[The campaign] is more than public misinformation, it’s a misinformation ecosystem. Of special note is the claim that the Federal Government has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent, a figure that has been called misleading by ABC Fact Check.”
“Also notable is the clever misrepresentation of hydrogen made with gas and coal as being ‘clean’ and selling carbon capture and storage as a solution to climate change when it has never properly worked,” Noble added.
Last week, Comms Declare released a letter urging Australian ad agencies to immediately drop fossil fuel clients, including the Australian Federal Government.
