no more MAC (Sad face)

Last week more shit hit the fan in the local industry when the new state government announced they were ditching the Motor Accident Commission. The government explained it was a natural result of privatising the compulsory third party bit (the bit that makes the money), and only being left with the bit that does the ads (the bit that costs the money). So for them, it was a way to save money – with Treasurer Rob Lucas saying it would save about $2-$3million of “corporate overheads”. For them, it was “sensible”, for our industry, it was a bit of a fucking disaster and another kick in the nuts with potentially more work disappearing.

Needless to say, the AADC was not happy to hear about it and went in to find out what’s what. Their primary concern seemed to be, not whether or not we’d all still be safe driving around on the roads, but rather for the impact on the “two or three companies potentially affected” as well as “the recording studios and production companies, actors, casting agents, photographers, public relations companies, media organisations, many more businesses and of course, the marketing professionals at the Motor Accident Commission.”

Which is fair enough. According to the AADC’s statement, “This announcement puts a cloud of uncertainty over millions of dollars in revenue for the communications sector, puts a question mark over the opportunity for local companies to continue creating world-class, highly effective campaigns and does little for business confidence or employment prospects.”

We’re a bit old fashioned here at MADtown, so personally we would have liked to have seen our concern with the millions in billings that are under a burn out cloud balanced out a bit more by how what we do is necessary and worthwhile – you know, that whole create value for our clients thing – but maybe that’s just us? Either way, it’s not great news if there’s less work in town.

The Treasure did confirm the government’s commitment (about $11million bucks worth of advertising, research and sponsorships) to road safety remained “unchanged”, and that it would be business as usual til June 2020. And if a politician says it’s true, it must be. Although who knows what happens after that. Maybe we’ll stop doing ads telling people not to speed, and it will be all bets are off on the road?

As for the biggest and most important question on everyobe’s lips… there’s still no word on the future of The Hairy Fairy and whether or not he’ll be hanging up his tutu.