Taxpayers fund $1m environment 'spin team'

THE Bracks Government's environment department has spent more than $1 million on media spin doctors in less than a year.Taxpayers have footed the bill for 18 communications managers and advisers employed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
Figures obtained by the Herald Sun under Freedom of Information law show the DSE spent $1,122,231.12 on salaries for the advisers from July 1, 2005 to June 14 this year.
The bill equates to more than $60,000 a year for each media manager.
The money is enough to plant 500,000 trees, restore 500ha of wildlife habitat, buy 1000 megalitre of water for the Murray River or put six new litter traps on the Yarra River.
Environment Minister John Thwaites' department employs four communications managers and a further 10 communications advisers in its Melbourne office.
Another five advisers are employed in offices in Ballarat, Benalla, Box Hill and Traralgon.
The DSE has 18.5 full-time equivalent media managers for water, fire and emergency, land stewardship and biodiversity, planning and sustainability, as well as an overall media manager and advisers.
The advisers are in addition to Mr Thwaites' own communications team. The department has the same number of advisers as the Premier's media unit, which handles all ministerial media enquiries.
Opposition environment spokesman David Davis said the DSE was absorbed with spin and should stop wasting money. "This is money being diverted from community projects that would have improved our environment," he said.
But Mr Thwaites said the advisers were necessary to inform the public about DSE projects.
"The DSE needs to communicate effectively with the media as it deals with matters of crucial public importance such as fire fighting and water conservation," he said.