PM’s ‘contract’ offers clear opportunities for engagement and growth

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is the first in the top office to have signed a ‘contract’ with the Australian community.

The six-point contract contains the commitments he took to the electorate on which he is asking people to ‘hold’ his government ‘to account’.

The points cover a stronger and diversified economy; elimination of the carbon tax; the end to waste and debt; the building of modern roads and improved services; securing the nation’s borders; and the creation of 2 million new jobs within a decade.

This latter commitment is difficult to evaluate before the next federal election because it is only three years away. However, the Prime Minister will have to demonstrate an improvement in the current situation during his term of office if he is not to breach the contract.

Although the contract can be regarded as ‘symbolic’, it has a greater underlying element. It highlights the desire for greater stability in government planning and decision-making over the previous government. The business sector should now start planning on this basis, along with their government engagement process.

Contract-with-Australia

The contract also emphasis that the government is not going to be run by media-driven agendas. Consultative decision-making is what it is seeking; it is now open to be tested in practice.

The business and community sectors should be engaging with government with full knowledge and understanding of the Coalition’s policies and what they are seeking to achieve and what the new Ministers have been saying over the last year when they were in Opposition.

Three-years is only a very short-phase in the business cycle. But it is one with which the CEOs of today are familiar business plans. Living up to the ‘contract’ requires input from more than just the government. That is why the Prime Minster says that Australia is once more open for business. He needs a partnership with business to work or “the contract” will be ‘torn-up’ in by the electorate in 2016.

RMKA has built a deep understanding of government policy formulation and processes and combines that with knowledge of how to effectively engage with government to address issues and implement initiatives of importance to business.

Rob Masters

Asiapac economics – no-one told China the mining boom is over

A view from the drivers of Asian economics: no-one told China the mining boom is over.

On Thursday August 8, Mr Wang Jiahua, Executive Vice Chairman of the China Mining Association, spoke to over 600 people at a Melbourne Mining Club luncheon (listen here).

In essence, he said the boom precipitated by China’s inexhaustible demand for commodities was far from over – and could run until around 2030.

Mr Wang gave very precise reasons why the boom was sustainable. He was also expansive about what Australia needed to do to clean up its act and take full advantage of the boom.

The main points of his speech are covered in the below (click notes to enlarge):

China Mining Association speech notes

In this light, the widespread claims that the mining boom has finished look pretty limp.

Garry Oliver

Launch control

“Houston, we have lift-off” – launch events with precision

NASA provides a great example of a precision launch event. Every time a Saturn V Rocket successfully launched an Apollo spacecraft past our earthly bounds it was worth a celebration. Its success, however, was attributable to the even greater deal of work, effort and resources that went into planning that amazing feat.

A successful launch is much more than a party to introduce a new product or service.

A successful launch needs careful thought given to exactly how best to introduce the product or service to media, opinion leaders, dealers, clients and staff.

The automotive and personal technology industries are amongst the most intensive launchers of new products. The constant flow of new models and technologies not only introduces consumers to new and improved goods, it also keeps the commercial wheel of regular customer update turning.

Auto and technology makers walk a well-trodden path of building anticipation and desire to convince consumers they must have the latest release of car, phone or device.

Leaks, design studies, “spy shots”, sneak peeks, non-official testing pictures, analyst and industry writer briefings and launches are all part of the product and service introduction tool kit.

Companies such as Apple are masters at building the ‘fervour for the new’.  The eventual clamour for first purchase is managed to create a religious experience for true enthusiasts.

Stage-managing the entire process may be out of the scope of local subsidiaries. However, making sure the key local audiences are exposed to the right message and the optimum first product experience is a vital part of the process.

The sugar-hit image of celebrities with your product splashed in the gossip columns will soon fade. The true sweet spot is launching an ongoing appreciation of your offering that creates the target audience’s genuine desire for ownership and brand buy-in.

Want to learn more? Visit RMKA Launch Control

 

John Kananghinis

Now is The Time to Start Lobbying

While the Prime Minister set a new record for the length of an election campaign, she also opened a long innings for business and other organisations to influence the way political policies are being developed for the electorate.

Business now has the opportunity move within a defined timeframe bounded by dates, and the important one being 14 September.

If business and community organisations want to make the difference they will need to get into the political parties themselves and those behind the scenes who are now feverously developing policies to take to the electorate.

The Liberal Party has already provided a broad approach to what it is seeking to do in government. But there is a lot of detailed work yet to be developed before the voters get a clear picture on what they will be voting come election day.

The core to any lobbying strategy now must be one of  ‘structured, election-focused engagement’.

Organisations must look at what they want and how this can be made appealing to the voter, or make a significant change to an industry, research, development etc. They also need to understand the difference between lobbying and influencing the parties, the cultural factors and the power of certain individuals exercising policy research.

They also must focus on how they are going to influence key backroom party members – those setting the policies – along with the politicians themselves, including new members, especially those in marginal seats. It is important to remember that at least 13 current members of parliament will not be standing for the next election.

 To achieve a satisfactory outcome, industry must have a combination of well developed understand of party politics, top priorities that appeal to the broader public (i.e. catches a vote) and then drill this down to a communication campaign that embraces the ‘foot work’. This is were the real work is done, selling the importance of your initiative through face-to-face meetings, media exposure, champions to your cause (i.e. third parties) and letters of support from industry and community groups. In addition, their ‘story’ needs to have a impact at a local level as much as at a macro economic level.

The outcome of the selling is to seek letters of commitment on key issues at national, state and territory branch levels. Although arguments are often mounted that politicians go back on their word on certain issues when they are in government (e.g. Julia Gillard with carbon tax), there is sufficient historical evidence that holding politicians accountable to their commitments far outweighs the alternative.

Robert Masters