The Federal election hasn't been called yet, but political advertising is already hitting TV screens across Australia.

As Opposition Leader in '07, Rudd called political advertising a "cancer on democracy", but now he's trying to justify a $38 million campaign to promote the super profits tax on mining. Should governments be allowed to use taxpayer dollars to save their own skin?

Panorama's Nick Toscano, Ally Bergamin and Emma Buckley Lennox.

Audio: 

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Government advertising - SYNcast.mp3