Colouring books are currently enjoying a huge resurgence in popularity thanks to adult colouring books. These books feature slightly more complex designs ideal for grown-ups seeking mindfulness, and in conjunction with the usual kids' books, they're taking over bookstores across the country! Liberal MP Tim Wilson had hoped to tap into some of the positivity involved with some custom promotional colouring books featuring his local electorate. Unfortunately, they've received a mixed response both locally and nationally.

Colour-in Books as Advertising Merchandise

The concept itself is fairly straight-forward: Wilson wanted to provide colouring books to local schools and retirement facilities that reflected the community and the country. So inside the book are images from the MP's electorate, Goldstein, including landmarks and regional wildlife. The book later expands to cover a variety of areas in Australian, including Uluru and native animals. Some familiar faces later appear including Mr. Wilson himself, his partner, and their two pet pug dogs.

There was a swift backlash on social media when it was discovered that Mr Wilson had used parliamentary communications budget to print the 15,000 colour books (in addition to the inclusion of the picture featuring Mr Wilson and his partner together), but the MP remains proud of his promotional colouring-in merchandise because it reflects his local community.

MPs are able to spend their communications budget on anything they feel that will benefit them in communicating with their electorate, and while we're not sure we'd put our faces on every page it's an interesting idea to release a colouring book that shows the local sights for young and old alike to colour in!

Have you ever received a unique colouring book? Let us know on social media!

First spotted here: http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/liberal-mp-defends-taxpayer-spend-on-colouringin-book/news-story/2f456db81248ab7b92797ef089fcd901