Labor's election advertising begins and the public is paying

Taxpayers are footing the bill for the start of Labor's re-election advertising campaign. Television spots extolling the virtues of what is called "the new health reform" are now appearing and the internet is full of pointers to the party's propaganda website that masquerades as the Health Department providing information.

The whole thing makes a mockery of Labor's promise to end the practice of incumbent governments delving into the public purse to further their own political ends.