A taxpayer-funded Western Australian tourism ad campaign has come under fire for using creatives from the east coast of Australia.
Tourism WA is working on the next phase of its ‘Walking On A Dream’ campaign, aimed at selling the state as a premium holiday destination to travellers at home and abroad.
However, the campaign has been scrutinised for using a production company on the east coast of Australia.
A spokesperson told ABC Radio Perth that while local company The Brand Agency has been chosen to lead development and production for the next stage of the campaign, an east coast-based director and production company will be used for part of the work.
The spokesperson said more than 50 suppliers, including some from WA, had been assessed.
"Unfortunately, while a local production company and director were shortlisted, the cost identified was prohibitively higher than the chosen option," the spokesperson told ABC Radio Perth.
They also explained that the shoot will use a 70% Western Australian crew and showcase many WA tourism operators.
The move has received criticism from all sides of WA politics.
WA Premier Roger Cook said it was a disappointing result.
"We know that in WA we've got some great production crews and I'm sure that work could have been undertaken in Western Australia," he said.
"I would just invite them [The Brand Agency] to reflect on the fact WA has great production, great people working in the creative industries.”
Shadow minister for tourism and member for Albany, Scott Leary, accused the Cook government of failing to protect and promote Western Australian jobs.
“This isn’t just a missed opportunity, it’s a total contradiction of everything the Government claims to stand for,” Leary said.
“They say WA is the most competitive place in the country for post-production work, but then sit back while one of our biggest promotional tools is sent east.”
