State Govt record ad spend: Its priciest ads, ranked
The state government has spent the largest amount of money on advertising in its history. InDaily analyses the biggest spend events and reveals the budgets kept secret.
The Malinauskas government spent $48.6 million taxpayer dollars on advertising in 2025-26, according to the Department of Premier and Cabinet – a new record.
Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis today defended the spend after Liberal spokesperson Ben Hood claimed it proved the government was “addicted to publicity and promotion”.
“It is very easy to come out and say, you know, $50 million a year is too much,” Koutsantonis said.
“Either way, whatever we do here, the opposition are going to complain because that’s their job. What we have to do is be the adults in the room to make sure that this is independently assessed.
“We proactively disclose how much we spend. People know what the campaigns are on, and they make their own judgment.”
However, documents reveal not all campaign spending is revealed with advertising campaigns for AFL Gather Round, British and Irish Lions, and LIV Golf have undisclosed costs.
Each of these campaigns were marked as “commercial in confidence” in the government documents, but they do show that AFL Gather Round and hosting the Gather Round 2026 Footy Shows in Adelaide cost taxpayers more than $200,000 .
SA Greens leader Robert Simms called for “more transparency” saying the term “commercial in confidence is used far too often by both Labor and Liberal parties to shield this information from the public”.
Koustantonis said the advertising spend in 2025-26 was 0.16 per cent of the total state budget, and using that metric it was smaller than the proportion of the budget spent on advertising in 2022-23.
The Department of Premier and Cabinet Chief Operating Officer Wayne Hunter told parliament’s budget and finance committee last month that last financial year’s spend was the most advertising dollars spent since record-keeping began in 2009.
It beat the previous record of $47.6 million spent in 2022-23, which DPC Chief Executive Rick Persse said was due to a spike in public health messaging around Covid-19.
Algal Bloom public information topped the list of government advertising spend that was disclosed in the financial year 2025-26.
It was followed by a $2 million spend on a smoking and vaping harm information campaign, and $1.9 million on the ‘Building a Bigger Health System’ campaign.
For campaigns announced in the current financial year, funds covered housing projects including a HomeStart project called ‘It’s Home Time’ receiving about $3.2 million for a campaign running from July 1 2026 until 2028.
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Liberal spokesperson Ben Hood claimed the state government outspent all other states that keep a public record of their advertising spend, claiming the government spent more than $25 per South Australian in the 2025-26 financial year, outspending Victoria which spent an average of $13.56 per local taxpayer.
“Enough is enough – this arrogant government needs to recognise its responsibility to spend public money wisely and not waste it on expensive back-patting stunts,” Hood said.
When it comes to spending on advertising major events, Adelaide Grand Final tops the list with a $1.67 million spend in 2025.
The full advertising budget for this year’s upcoming Adelaide Grand Final has not yet been disclosed, but includes at least $25,000 on influencers attending a launch event.
Also attracting a big spend is the Santos Tour Down Under, with $1.5 million budgeted for its 2027 event, up from $1.3 million spent in 2026. A separate road safety event also linked to the TDU in 2025 received about $233,000 in taxpayer funds.
State government figures showed Bp’s Adelaide Grand Final delivered $100 million to the state economy in November, and the 2026 Tour Down Under delivered $86.9 million.
Editor’s Note: InDaily, like all major media outlets in South Australia, receives advertising funds from the South Australian government and this advertising content is clearly marked.
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