THE government has secretly accumulated market research and “slick” video advertisements, ready for a massive campaign aimed at selling its changes to higher education funding to young people.

The campaign to reassure potential higher education students about their fees could include Twitter and Facebook spots in addition to placements in newspapers and on radio and television.

Yesterday, Education Minister Christopher Pyne said the government might “look at” an “education campaign” — but planning has actually been underway since October.

Mr Pyne credited the idea to an Independent senator, John Madigan, who has angrily denied the claim today.

On Tuesday night, the government’s legislation to change funding to universities and deregulate fees was rejected by the Senate. The next day, Mr Pyne introduced a similar bill, to be debated next year.

The Education Minister also raised the prospect of an advertising campaign on Wednesday after talking to cross bench senators, including Mr Madigan.

“One of the things that Senator Madigan asked for was that an education campaign be run by the government to quell some of the concerns that people have in the community,” said Mr Pyne. “We’ll look at that of course.”

However, Senator Madigan has angrily denied it was his idea, and attacked Mr Pyne for his claim.

“Clearly the government has not sold its policies well,” Senator Madigan said on Facebook. “Its engagement with the public and the crossbench has been patchy. “Unequivocally, I never called for an advertising campaign using taxpayers’ money and I would never support such a measure.”

Proposed “slick and lively” television ads tell viewers university graduates earn 75 per cent more than non-graduates, a source has told news.com.au.

There was a theme, said the source, that the government would pay half of the cost of a university fee and HECS pays the rest, with zero dollars upfront.

There was no mention of the size of the fees, with Labor insisting the government’s reduced funding and deregulation could produce $100,000 degrees.

A proposed full-page newspaper advertisement featured a dollar sign divided down the middle to indicate the government would cover half the university fee.

A long video has been shot to be run on Facebook.