Minister Greg Hunt at Launch of Tyre Stewardship Australia

New roads to sustainability for old tyres

ICG recently delivered a Ministerial launch for the newly formed Tyre Stewardship Australia with Federal Environment Minister, Greg Hunt.

The program aims for the audited and accredited recycling of up to 48 million old tyres we discard in Australia every year. It will also help to develop new uses for the recovered raw material such as the mixing of crumbed rubber into high tech asphalt that offers quieter roads with greater grip and far better drainage.

That’s why the launch took place at Downer’s Asphalt plant in Somerton.

As the Minister says: “Industry cooperation that does the right thing by the industry and the right thing by the environment.”

 

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Lobbying

Lobbying – knowing what case to put to whom

Recently RMKA assisted one of our clients in lobbying policy makers to rectify a commercially detrimental departmental ruling that destroyed a business case for niche high-value local manufacture.

The client had taken the appropriate legal measures to challenge a departmental ruling but had been caught in a technical detail dead-end. To the point where even the legal advisors suggested that a revised policy direction should be sought.

RMKA reframed the matter in clear policy terms with all of the positive and negative implications outlined in language that had public and electoral resonance.  We then engaged with politicians who had a natural stake in a successful outcome and gained their support to take the matter to the appropriate Minister for policy direction.

The result was that the relevant government department was given instructions to work with the client to resolve the matter and to get the local manufacturing case back on track.

The point illustrated is that on occasions it may be more advantageous to present a policy argument to those charged with a broader public interest rather than to further pursue a narrow legal argument.  The trick is to know how to put the policy case forward and to whom to put it.

That’s why, be it a legal or policy argument to be made, the appropriate professionals should be engaged.

RMKA has over 30 years of experience in working with government and is listed on the Australian Government Register of Lobbyists and the Victorian Government Professional Lobbyists Register.

JK

ICG Auto

RMKA Auto tailors solutions for the vehicle industry

Automotive Public Relations by RMKA

The pace of day-to-day business in a dynamic sector such as automotive shows every sign of continuing to increase.

Add to this the tough and competitive nature of the Australian market and it is easy to see why many companies in the automotive sector carry limited specialist resources.

RMKA has identified a need for highly experienced key support services, both strategic and operational, to assist companies operating at all levels of the automotive industry.

The result is the creation of a suite of services that harnesses RMKA’s indepth history and extensive knowledge in automotive communication, and focuses these skills with the benefit of an equally comprehensive experience-base in the automotive business.

RMKA has identified key areas of support where the consultancy can add value by addressing specific communication, marketing and research needs.

RMKA Auto has been created to make it easier for executives in the automotive industry to match their needs to the skills and services that RMKA can bring in helping to meet business objectives.

In Australian politics, off the record is on the record

In Australian politics, a salient message was delivered recently to business executives about going ‘off the record’ – it cost a Victorian State Government Minister his job.

In today’s society, the media needs large volumes of information faster than ever before. The growth of social media and online publications is pushing the traditional media to get this information, sometimes at any cost. In this environment, ‘off the record’ comments can become an easy opportunity for competitive advantage. The truth is, ‘off the record’ is never really ‘off the record’.

In effect, in going ‘off the record’, you’re actually asking the reporter not to do his or her job. Their job is to find information and report on it. To fulfill this, all they have to do is put your ‘off the record’ comments to someone else and get an ‘on the record’ response.

There is always someone around your business who is ready to go ‘on the record’ – competitors, dissatisfied current or former employees, or disgruntled customers.

Simply stated, never expect anything you say around a reporter not to hit the media in some form or another. Simply assume that whatever you say will be online today or on the front page tomorrow. Therefore, the rule for ‘off the record’, if one understands the media and how it operates, is to assume it doesn’t exist.

In short, fully understand the information game you are playing and how to play it. Don’t blame the journalist for what you have told him or her when it appears on, or in the news. Journalist have their job to do, so too do you.

Carefully think about everything you say, don’t be pressured into commenting on things you don’t feel comfortable about, stay on message, don’t speculate, don’t try to show off how much you know and don’t gossip.

Being knowledgable about working with the media is an increasingly important skill for any senior executive’s. RMKA has been working in this area for decades and can assist by delivering a thorough grounding in media relations and training, developing and delivering key messages and staying smart!

Robert Masters