LCQ12: Making good use of public spaces to disseminate government information
12.7.2023

Following is a question by the Hon Sunny Tan and a written reply by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, in the Legislative Council today (July 12): Question: There are views that the Government has failed to make good use of public spaces with high pedestrian and vehicular flow, including government sites, streets and facilities, as a medium and channel for government publicity and promotion. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether it will explore ways to enhance the flexible use of public spaces with higher pedestrian and vehicular flow, such as parks and the exterior walls of government buildings, for displaying different kinds of government information and various types of publicity materials, so as to extend the reach and appeal of government publicity and promotion as well as disseminate government information to the public and tourists; (2) as there is a suggestion that the Government should make good use of the Tunnel Approach Rest Garden next to Gloucester Road in Wan Chai, a location where all vehicles must drive through for access to the Cross Harbour Tunnel, to display the national flag, and to display on its periphery publicity materials related to the development and history of the country, whether the Government will explore such suggestion and put it to the test through a pilot for displaying publicity materials along road sections with high vehicular flow, with a view to enhancing the public's understanding of the country, cultivating their affection for our country and fostering civic awareness; and (3) as it is learnt that the technology of large digital advertising screens, which allows uninterrupted broadcasting of different advertisements and messages, has become increasingly mature in recent years, whether the Government will make wider use of such medium for the publicity and promotion of government information? Reply: President, To enhance the effectiveness of information dissemination, government bureaux and departments have been using different channels and platforms to disseminate government messages to the public. Having consulted the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB), the consolidated reply to the Hon Sunny Tan's question is as follows: (1) The means taken by the Information Services Department (ISD) to promote government information are diverse, including outdoor advertising. Bureaux/departments have made use of government premises, for example, external walls of government buildings, venues and parks under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and community halls and community centres of the Home Affairs Department (HAD) to display giant banners. Moreover, government posters are also displayed at poster sites managed by the ISD for promotion and publicity. These poster sites are located at public housing estates, bus stops, footbridges and subways, etc. (2) Tunnel Approach Rest Garden, located in Wan Chai, covers about 21 500 square metres, was completed in 1972. The garden was temporarily closed from 2014 to 2021 to facilitate the works of Shatin to Central Link and was reopen for public enjoyment in February 2021 after refurbishment. The garden provides a model car play area, children's play equipment, sitting-out areas, water feature, and landscaped areas, etc. Apart from being used for recreational purposes, the Tunnel Approach Rest Garden is also available for use by government bureaux and departments for displaying government promotional messages or festive decorations such as the display of the national flag and regional flag for celebrating the anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. To widely disseminate related messages on the Constitution, the Basic Law and "one country, two systems" etc., to the public, since November 2022, the CMAB has arranged large-scale outdoor publicity, displaying in stages large publicity banners and posters on the external walls of various government buildings, such as the Justice Place, Kowloon Park and Sha Tin Town Hall etc., with a view to maximising the impact of publicity efforts. Government bureaux and departments will continue to make good use of public space to disseminate government messages so as to enhance the public's understanding of our country, cultivate their affection for home and country and foster their civic awareness. (3) As regards the use of electronic screens and other new technologies, government bureaux and departments have been broadcasting and displaying various government publicity materials such as promotional videos and advertisements on electronic screens at government premises, including sports centres and venues under the LCSD, community halls and community centres under the HAD, Home Affairs Enquiry Centres, Revenue Tower and public housing estates, as well as those at non-government premises or public transport to disseminate government messages to the public. The Government will continue to make good use of large electronic display screens technology for publicity and promotion uses.