The Turnbull government has forked out a cool $5 million on advertising in a bid to reinforce the role of Smartraveller in keeping Aussies safe when jetting off overseas.

According to Fairfax, Malcolm Turnbull and co have launched a campaign to save the struggling Smartraveller scheme, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade signing off on a mammoth load of ad contracts worth around $5.2 million, including this month’s ‘Phase IV’ ad that has a price tag of around $500,000.

After a recent audit showed hardly any Aussies register their details on Smartraveller, and only 20 per cent of those who start actually slog it out to the finish line, the Department kicked into overdrive to give the website and registration numbers a boost.

According to Fairfax, since the campaign began, there’s been a 46 per cent jump in website page views, and 36 per cent more users in the last six months.

“With the number of trips taken by Australians increasing each year, Smartraveller advertising is important to help Australians stay safe overseas,” a departmental spokesperson told Fairfax.

“Phase IV of the campaign moves away from promoting registration towards encouraging Australian travellers to be more personally responsible and self-reliant by being informed and prepared for their travel.”

Ad agency Arnold Furnace is banking a cheque for around $1.7 million to create the advertising, which is expected to spread across TV, print, social media, digital and out-of-home, while over $3.2 million is reportedly going to the government’s main media buying agency, Dentsu Mitchell.

Another $300,000 is heading to the pockets of multicultural marketing agency Etcom.

The riveting new slogan, ‘Be Informed, Be Prepared’ aims to stop the Aussie idea that the government will jump in and save them if the shit hits the fan overseas.

All Smartraveller advertising has received bipartisan support to continue throughout the election caretaker period.