THE Howard Government has set up a secret propaganda unit to attack Labor's plan to build a $4.7 billion broadband network.

The unit has been established within the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, with a staff of about 10 on short-term contracts.

Several highly specialised public relations consultants and senior public servants across a range of government departments have been seconded to develop a strategy to attack Labor's broadband plan.

They will produce information kits that include detailed attack points on Labor's broadband plan and positive points about the Government's alternative "Australia Connected" strategy.

The kits will be distributed to Coalition candidates in marginal seats around the country in the run-up to the election, widely expected on November 10.

The Sunday Age has spoken to one person employed within the unit. "We have one brief — shoot down Labor's plan and promote the Government's plan," the employee said.

The unit has been allocated office space within the Walter Turnbull building in Canberra's Sydney Avenue opposite Parliament House and is believed to have a budget of more than $1 million. None of the staff is listed in the official department staff handbook.

The unit is intimately involved in the planning of a multimillion-dollar taxpayer-funded advertising blitz promoting the Government's broadband plan, yet to be unveiled.

The Howard Government has recently come under attack over the operation of another propaganda unit inside Parliament House called the "Government Members' Secretariat".

The $1.5 million-a-year, taxpayer-funded GMS employs 14 staff exclusively to help Coalition MPs design their newsletters, websites, and instruct them on the latest international campaigning techniques.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock was also forced to deny reports last month that yet another taxpayer-funded "dirt unit" was operating out of his Sydney offices.

The Howard Government has up to 20 staff ostensibly employed by a handful of ministers whose sole task is to help the Government get re-elected and whose work has nothing to do with their ministers' portfolios.

A spokeswoman for federal Communications Minister Helen Coonan denied the existence of the "propaganda unit" but confirmed that an "expert taskforce" had been set up to work on broadband issues within the department.

Labor communications spokesman Stephen Conroy said: "This is an outrageous misuse of public servants and taxpayers' money."

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/dirt-unit-to-fight-labors-net-plan/2007/07/14/1183833843040.html