Biosecurity phones gnome for help
THE Agriculture Department spent $270,000 in taxpayer funds for videos featuring a singing garden gnome and a character called “dirtgirl” to give advice like tell people to throw fruit in a bin.
The department, which is meant to keep Australia safe from pests and infections which could destroy our agricultural sector, spent the cash for seven promotional videos featuring characters from the children’s television program Get Grubby TV. One of the videos features dirtgirl and Costa on location in the Torres Strait telling people to put fresh fruit in quarantine bins on arrival to avoid fruit flies causing damage to native fruits.
News Corp revealed that the department was going to pay Don Burke $50,000 to record videos, but cancelled the contract after sexual harassment allegations came out against him.
An Agriculture department spokeswoman said the characters had community appeal and an ability to convey biosecurity messaging.