Secrets of lobbying government to be shared at CommsCon
A panel of experts will discuss what goes on in the corridors of power, how brands can better engage with government and how to decode spin in the run up to the election.
Matt Hingerty, CEO and MD at Barton Deakin, Simon Banks, director, Hawker Britton, Peter Collins, former NSW treasurer and John Watkins, former deputy premier of NSW will share their experience of how government works with brands from a lobbying perspective, and how traditional PR and communications methods are translated into political and lobbying campaigns.
CommsCon – for PRs and communications professionals – takes place next Thursday, March 14.
The panel, moderated by Toby Ralph, will share insights into the potential impact of an election on government relationships with organisations, how governments work with their clients and discuss the communications methodology of political campaigning, from advertising to decoding spin and messaging and the best ways for businesses to communicate effectively with government at a bureaucratic and political level.
Hingerty is one of the most experienced political and industry figures working in the government relations industry in Australia. He has worked at state and federal level in Liberal/National governments for more than 25 years. He previously worked as Chief of Staff to George Souris and was Chief of Staff to Joe Hockey in the Howard Government,
Simon Banks has worked as chief of staff or deputy Chief of Staff to three Federal Labor leaders, including Kevin Rudd, and has been Federal Labor’s director of policy and a senior policy and media adviser to a number of Labor ministers and shadow ministers. He has worked with most of Federal Labor’s frontbench, including Prime Minister Gillard.
Collins was formerly a journalist and researcher for Four Corners on ABC TV and was a media consultant. He held several roles for the NSW Liberal government during the 90s including health minister and treasurer.
Watkins is a former Deputy Premier of NSW (for ALP) and is now CEO of Alzheimer’s Australia (NSW). He has held the role of minister for corrective services, transport, police and sport and recreation.
The panel is moderated by marketing consultant and specialist in issues and crisis management and lobbying for unpalatable causes, Toby Ralph. Ralph is number 8 on the Power Index’s spinners list and has appeared on Gruen Transfer.
Further details of the conferene can be found via this link.
