TAXPAYERS spent $86.6 million on advertising to promote the policies of the Federal Government in its first year, with a large chunk being spent on Defence Force recruitment campaigns.

But the spending was dwarfed by what the Howard government forked out in its final year: a whopping $254 million, the bulk of which was spent on promoting its failed WorkChoices policy.

According to the first report on campaign advertising by government departments in the first half of the 2008/09 financial year, the Rudd Government spent $53.2 million.

The Government spent $86.6 million in the 2008 calendar year, but has not provided a detailed breakdown of the $33.4 million spent in the first half of the year. Another detailed report of the entire financial year's spending will be released in September.

Defence was the biggest-spending department, with $16.3 spent on a new Defence Force recruitment drive.

The Australian Better Health Initiative asking Australians to measure their waist lines  a program in which Victoria does not participate  cost Australians $7.3 million.

That, combined with a new campaign warning of the dangers of binge drinking that cost taxpayers $6.8 million, made the Department of Health the second-largest spender between June and December.