1. I S S U E 5 Autumn 2015
THEOfficial publication of Wells Haslem Strategic Public Affairs
Wells Haslem Strategic Public Affairs
Rob Masters & Associates and
InterCaptial Group
join forces to expand their
comprehensive offerings interstate
EXPANSION

2. Wells Haslem: expansion
Benjamin Haslem, CEO
Welcome to the latest edition of Wells Haslem’s regular
magazine, The Shell. It’s hard to believe this is our fifth
edition, marking more than two-and-a half-years since we
established the business in July 2012.
As you will see from our cover story, we have exciting news,
with the forging of a partnership with our Melbourne
affiliate, RMK + Associates. Our three company partners
write about this exciting evolution in our business on page 3.
Our relationship with RMK’s founders, Rob Masters and
John Kananghinis, dates back to our days at Jackson Wells.
We are also excited to welcome another member to our
Wells Haslem team here in Sydney, Geoffery MacDermott.
Geoffery joins us from Charles Sturt University where he just
completed his communications degree.
Regular readers of The Shell would be familiar with Rob
Masters’ article on then newly-appointed Victoria Premier,
Denis Napthine, in the magazine’s third edition. 12 months
on and Dr Napthine has been relegated to political history,
the victim of a rapidly emerging trend in Australian politics:
the one-term government.
Shortly after the Victoria Coalition government was swept
from office, Queensland’s LNP Government led by Campbell
Newman suffered the single-biggest swing against a first-
term Queensland state government in history, leading to
the ALP forming minority government.
If opinion polls are any guide, the Tony Abbott-led Federal
Government is in serious danger of being a one-term
wonder. Gone, it seems, are the days of voters giving a new
government a second term. Nick Wright from Luntz Global
provides some reasons why in his insightful piece on page6.
The lesson for any organisation or business dealing with
governments is the importance of forging long-term
relationships with both sides of politics. You just don’t know
how soon the shadow minister will be occupying a spot on
the treasury benches.
Not only are voters eager to boot out politicians who fail to
deliver on promises, it seems from Julie Sibraa’s article on
pre-polling on page 8, they are keen to do so at the earliest
opportunity.
While Australian voters are chomping at the bit to exercise
their democratic rights, the United States is gearing up for
the 2016 Presidential race. With Barack Obama finishing his
second term, irrespective of which party wins the swipe
card to the Oval Office, there will be a new President
inaugurated on the steps of the Capitol on 20 January 2017.
On page 11, Isabelle Walker casts her eye across the GOP
and Democrat hopefuls seeking their party’s nomination for
presidential candidate, including New Jersey Governor, Chris
Christie; Former Florida Governor (and bother of ‘Dubya’),
Jeb Bush; a woman who needs no introduction, Hillary
Rodham Clinton; and Vice President, Joe Biden.
It has been another terrific six months for Wells
Haslem but one tinged with great sadness.
In early February our good friend and former work
colleague, Kate Breeze, passed away. ‘Breezey’ worked
with John Wells and me at Jackson Wells in the first
half of last decade before moving on to a variety of PR
roles including at the Sydney Opera House; the
successful London 2012 Olympic Games bid; APEC
2007; and Surf Life Saving Australia. To quote Wellsy:
“She was a terrific girl”. The huge turnout at Kate’s
funeral in Sydney on 16 February was testament to her
ability to win people’s hearts and forge long-term
friendships across the globe. She will be missed
terribly.
Benjamin Haslem
CEO

3. Expansion
New Partnership brings leadership in communication
Alexandra Mayhew, Benjamin Haslem, John Wells
Wells Haslem Strategic Public Affairs will formalise its
relationship with Melbourne affiliates Robert Masters &
Associates (RM+A) and Inter Capital Group (ICG), a
partnership that will allow the three firms to seamlessly
deliver valued services nationwide.
Wells Haslem has experienced a rapid growth since its
inception in 2012, in no small part because of the solid
foundation laid down over 20 years by John Wells as
founding partner at one of Australia’s most successful
independent public relations firms, Jackson Wells.
Benjamin Haslem and Alexandra Mayhew also worked
Jackson Wells – Ben for nine years, Alexandra for three.
When determining what Wells Haslem’s point of difference
would be, it was important to assess the environment that
had been created since the incorporation of the internet
Into everyday lives, the media cycle (and rise of media
convergence and the power of social media) and of course,
politics. We determined the increasing speed and
globalisation of media and politics was a key factor to
account for in our new business model.
The Partners also assessed client needs. We determined
clients’ preferences can vary from a trusted one-person
counsel to a large team with broad service offerings. So we
structured ourselves in such a way to provide this. We
created our core team to undertake the smaller tasks, and
expanded as needed with highly experienced external
counsel. Our partnership with RM+A and ICG is an
extension of this proven successful model.
In turn, Wells Haslem is an innovative and nimble company
working across many industries and client types – from
small community groups to blue-chip multi-nationals.

4. Our found partners are approximately
seventeen years apart in age. Ben
Haslem suggested we should have given
ourselves an obscure and pretentious
name like 17x3 or 173. Area 51? But
that’s not us.
Jokes aside, not only did this
mean our team comprised of
exceptionally experienced
professionals, but also
offered the energy and
passion that youth brings. It
meant that for every client
there would always be
unique perspectives, varied
outlooks and multiple
solutions offered.
It has also led to various arguments,
especially as we all sit separately on the
political spectrum, but it’s all been in the
name of very good business.
Importantly, Wells Haslem is a diverse
team that challenges one-another and
thus produces the best solutions for our
clients.
The team’s approach to clients - of
transparency and intelligent
engagement – has proved a successful
for the firm. Wells Haslem has continued
to employ more full-time staff and
engage more specialised consultants.
When people can outsource services to
freelancers so easily on the internet, it is
important to stay abreast of the
changes. While we will always maintain
traditional values – such as strategy-
based engagement and high-quality,
value-add solutions – we are very aware
of the importance of adapting to the era
in which we work.
No longer are we just
competing with other
Sydney-based PR firms. We
are competing against firms
in India; we are competing
with multinational agencies;
we are completing with a
freelancer with a phone and
a laptop and no overheads.
And we plan to stay ahead of
the curve.
Our new partnership with RM+A and ICG
is an example of how we will do just this.
By partnering with other experts in the
field who also provide specialised
services, and who are small enough to
respond swiftly and efficiently and tailor
themselves to their environment
accordingly, we maintain our high-
standards, expand our experience and
yet remain competitive.
Wells Haslem will not be having a Kodak
moment.
pg.4|Expansion–Partners

5. ICG/RMA is a strategic communications
and stakeholder engagement
consultancy based in Melbourne. The
business provides a suite of specialist
communication services including media
and government relations, brand
communications, crisis and issues
management, stakeholder strategy,
media training and public relations.
Under the RM+A banner a specialist
organisational change and government
to stakeholder practice has been built
over three decades, while the ICG
banner offers a broad range of industry
knowledge with a particular expertise in
the automotive sector.
Robert Masters and John Kananghinis
lead the ICG/RM+A team and offer the
benefit of a depth of corporate, political
journalism and consultancy experience.
Rob is a former senior political journalist
having covered federal politics in
Canberra and the State Parliaments of
Queensland, New South Wales and
Victoria. He is a Fellow of the Public
Relations Institute of Australia and a
Past President.
John, in addition to his consultancy
experience, has almost 20 years
corporate experience as a General
Manager in Sales, Marketing and
Communication within major global
multinationals such as BMW and Scania.
He is the current President of the
Victoria branch of the Advertising
Institute of Australasia, of which he is
also a Fellow.
The directors are backed by a team rich
in communication, journalism, political,
marketing and corporate experience
ICG/RM+A has assisted in the full range
of communication tasks. From major
industrial, consumer and environmental
crises to issues management, internal
and industrial relations, and community
engagement programs on significant
health, medical research, infrastructure,
road, energy, rail, electricity, education,
mining, manufacturing and industrial
projects. They have devised and
delivered launch and education
programs on new and green automotive
technology, created major sponsorship
leverage activities, as well as facilitating
client representations to, and
cooperation with, government at all
levels.
pg.5|Expansion–Partners
InterCaptial Group and Rob Masters + Associates
Robert Masters and John Kananghinis

6. Sitting in an RSL 70 years after it was written, the average Aussie
punter wouldn’t find much to disagree with Orwell. I wonder
what odds you would have secured following the Coalition’s
thumping Federal election victory in September 2013 on two
Liberal-National state governments being thrown out after only a
single term and the Prime Minister himself being subjected to a
leadership spill in the space of less than 18 months? As NSW
Premier Mike Baird nervously eyes the latest polls, he would be
hard-pressed not to conclude that Australian voter volatility
appears to be at an all-time high.
Australia’s over-paid polling and commentariat class struggles to
come to terms with the new normal – either
deriding the Prime Minister’s personal performance or in one
incredible case, blaming the electorate itself for not ‘toughening
up’. The reality is, the territory the game is played on has changed,
perhaps for good – and one or two need to update their
methodologies (…or get a lot quicker at cutting and pasting from
others). John Howard remarked to me that a generation ago,
pollsters and political strategists the world over could count on 40
per cent of ‘rusted-on’ support from reliable political ‘bases’. You
know the type, ‘I’d vote for a donkey, so long as it was wearing a
red rosette’. Today, that figure is probably closer to 20 per cent
and declines by the day. A kaleidoscope of parties is emerging, in
some cases defined by devotion to a single issue (e.g. the Greens).
Voter volatility
Identity, not ideology, moving voters
Mr Nicholas Wright, Research & Campaigns Director, Luntz Global
"Political language […] is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable,
and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind."
George Orwell
Photo by Graham Denholm

7. So what does this mean for corporate and political types Down Under? Interestingly,
we found that just as Australian voters tear down the political class in our focus groups
night after night, the attribute they most desire from their political leaders is that of
‘statesmanship’. So what are some of the keys to that curious quality – in their eyes?
Wherever you look around the world
these days, new populist movements
abound – smashing up the comfortable
certainties of the élites who have
prospered for so long with their lexicons
of ‘sensible policies’, ‘Strong Economic
Plans’ and the petty narcissism of small
differences. In my home country of
Britain, UKIP – a party defined by its own
leader as ‘… an attitude rather than a set
of policies’ – actually won last year’s
European Elections, while the fascist
Front Nationale easily overcame
President Francois Hollande’s somnolent
Socialists in France. Over the Atlantic,
disgust with and disdain for Washington
elites was the driving factor in the
Republicans’ stunning take-back of
Congress in November. So what’s
behind all this?
Some blame the carnage wrought by the
2008-09 Financial Crisis, but how then to
explain similar phenomena in countries
where economies thrived during that
time, such as Sweden or the
Netherlands… or Australia for that
matter? Recessions and downturns are
perennials, so there must be something
deeper going on.
Part of the explanation is the diffusion of
political power itself. The primacy of
markets, globalisation and other
transnational phenomena mean that the
nature of the modern democratic state
itself is changing… and political power
structures have changed with it. Yes,
Rupert Murdoch might still have his
billions, but the old tyrant is only one
Tweeter among millions – and you can
communicate with him directly now. In
a landmark piece in The Washington
Post, Fareed Zakaria wrote about the
strange mixture of angst and
assertiveness this breeds, causing
people to ask of themselves, ‘who are
we… and who are we not?’
In conclusion: More than at any time
since we began polling, it is the force of
identity – not ideology – that is moving
voters.
pg.7|Votervolatility–NicholasWright
About Luntz Global: For decades, Luntz Global’s team of creative specialists has been
using the power of words to move clients forward. It’s about more than what people
are saying. It’s about listening to what people are thinking and feeling, and
understanding the emotion underneath language. We find the Words that Work, so
that you speak the same language that your audience does. Whether it’s for politics or
for profit, marketing or messaging – we craft the right message, word for word and
phrase by phrase.
Authenticity is accountability. Whether it is Julia Gillard knitting or Mitt
Romney awkwardly munching on a KFC, voters now have myriad ways in
which they can spot a fake. Conversely – whether you are a
Communications Director, Chairman or CEO – when you put yourself out
there and they can tell it’s really you – you build a bridge to that most
priceless of qualities: Trust.
In a world of unprecedented punter unpredictability and personal political power,
intelligent and insightful opinion research matters more than ever. Musing on the
increasing awfulness of political discourse, Orwell himself wrote of the ‘drunk who
feels a failure… so drinks more, thus exacerbating his failure’.
The danger is that different identity groups simply talk past each other, turning up the
volume ever louder as they go. The question is - who will give us the advice to sober
up?
Candidates are ever-more critical. Think of your company as a campaign.
Yourself as a candidate for high office. When you do this, you realise how
important it is to inspire those around you if you are to take them with
you. It is not enough to set mediocre, managerialist goals. Think of the
best speech, presentation or pitch you’ve ever attended; it is unlikely you’ll
remember every word that was said – but you can remember exactly how
it felt. People may well forget what you say, they will never forget how
you made them feel.
Put yourself in their context, show you get it. It is why our CEO Frank
Luntz advised Tony Abbott to scrap his planned summer holiday at the end
of the year, and instead get back among the voters – visually and viscerally
in their faces, showing that the only thing that matters in straightened
times is delivering measurable results on the things that matter to them.
He went on the holiday.

8. 0.9m pre-poll
2010 Federal election14.1m registered voters1.55m
m
.95m
2013 Federal election14.7m registered voters1.9mpre-poll1.3m
postal
2014 Victorian election3.8m registered voters
0.5m 2010 Victorian election3.3m registered voters
0.3m 2006 Victorian election3m registered voters
25% voted early in person 2014 Victorian election
2014 Victorian election50% in Napthine’s electorate (South-West Coast)
The rush to the polls
The rise and rise of early voting in Australia
Julie Sibraa
Two recent State elections threw everything we thought we
knew about elections and voting behaviour out the window.
The Victorian election in November 2014 proved that contrary
to all conventional political wisdom, voters will readily throw
out a first term Government.
This was more than reinforced in Queensland in January when
voters not only threw out the first term Newman government
but brought Labor back from an historic loss in 2012, which
reduced their numbers to a small ineffective rump, to minority
government.
The swings were so large in some seats that ABC psephologist
Antony Green thought something was wrong with his computer
software.
So with political pundits and experts still shaking their heads
about the fickleness of Australian voters and their capacity to
punish governments who betray their promises, there is
another growing phenomenon that does not seem to attract a
great deal of attention yet potentially could completely change
the way campaigns are run in the future. That is, the rise of the
numbers of Australians who vote before Election Day.
While early voting in the form of postal voting has been in
existence for around a century, it is just over recent years that
it’s newer form, pre-poll voting has started to grow
exponentially from election to election.
For example, from the 2010 to the 2013 Federal Elections, the
number of people who voted by pre-poll alone increased by
nearly one million votes. One million votes.
At the 2014 Victorian state election, early voting set new
records with nearly 340,000 extra pre-poll votes recorded from
the previous election, representing nearly 30% of votes cast
prior to Election Day. In former Premier Denis Napthine’s seat
of South-West Coast that figure was a staggering 50%.
Although Queenslanders are historically slightly less inclined to
vote early, nonetheless in last month’s election a record
number of electors (200,000) cast their vote early.

9. Under most electoral laws pre-poll votes
are now considered “ordinary votes”,
that is, they are treated the same as a
vote cast on Election Day itself and
counted on the night. Previously they
were “declaration votes” which meant
they were placed in a special envelope
and counted after all the Election Day
votes were cast.
Additionally, pre-poll voting opens 19
days before Election Day, or nearly three
weeks. Although the legislation sets out
the specific circumstances under which a
voter is eligible to cast a pre poll vote,
this is being increasingly subverted by
polling officials who appear to almost
encourage early voting and of course
voters themselves who when realising
there is a pre-poll station open near
them are often heard to say “I’ll just get
it over with”. In other words a large
majority of people voting early do so
because it’s more convenient.
While early voting would clearly take
some of the pressure off election
officials on polling day, the rapid rise in
pre-poll voting is not without its
problems for the Electoral Commission.
It faces the additional costs of ensuring
there is adequate staff to officiate at pre
polling stations as well as the costs and
logistics of securing more pre-poll voting
places. It is not unusual these days to
come across lengthy pre-poll voting
queues.
For political parties and candidates it
means they have to find the extra
resources and volunteers to be present
at the pre-polling booth for three weeks.
Clearly for smaller parties, independent
candidates and even the major parties
operating in difficult political terrain, this
is a real challenge. Yet they cannot
afford to miss the opportunity of
handing out their how-to-votes to
anywhere between a quarter to a third
of the electorate.
If a large percentage of the electorate
has already cast their vote well before
Election Day, how do parties campaign?
Does this mean they have to have the
majority of their policy announcements
out with three weeks to go? This of
course gives their opponents plenty of
time to pick the policies and costings
apart – which might be a good thing.
And the even bigger question – what
happens if a major story breaks in the
final days of the campaign that has a
major impact on one of the candidates
or parties that could have changed the
entire course of the election, but
because such a large percentage of
voters have already voted it’s too late.
Some would argue that people who vote
early either are committed rusted-on
voters who have already made up their
minds or the kind of voters who have
little interest and simply vote early to
get their names ticked off. This may be
true, but given the increasing volatility
of the electorate, a significant revelation
could be all it takes to change a vote.
Finally, can political parties use early
voting to their advantage? What is to
stop parties from conducting exit polls
of early voters as they do in the United
States, and using the results to change
their campaign rhetoric or policies?
While it’s clear there’s no push from
either the collective Electoral
Commissions or the politicians to tighten
the rules around early voting, there’s
just one final question – given the
diminishing significance of the actual
Election Day - why bother have
it at all?
pg.9|Therushtothepolls–JulieSibraa
1
AEC Submission to the Joint Standing
Committee on Electoral Matters | Election 2013
Pre-poll votes cast as ordinary vote
1

10. Benjamin Haslem
In the dawn light 120 lycra-clad men and women had gathered
outside Taronga Zoo for the annual 400km Zoo2Zoo bike ride to
Dubbo.
While lions roared and monkeys screeched off in the distance,
most attention was focused on one rider, local Federal member
and Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott.
The PM had agreed to turn up at 4.30am on 17 October last
year to lead cyclists for the first 25km of the ride, from the zoo
to Castle Hill in Sydney’s north-west.
It was legendary Australian political journalist, Mungo
MacCallum, who named his famous book recounting three
years covering the Whitlam Government: Mungo on the Zoo
Plane.
So perhaps it was apt our current PM should lead off the
Zoo2Zoo ride, which concludes at Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo
and raises money for Wells Haslem client, the Black Dog
Institute.
Since 2009, the Zoo2Zoo has raised in excess of $500,000 for
the Institute, a world leader in the diagnosis, treatment and
prevention of mood disorders such as depression and bipolar
disorder.
Zoo2Zoo
Peddling for suicide prevention

11. Wells Haslem approached the Prime
Minister’s office on behalf of the
Institute, which we are assisting with
efforts to build stronger relationships
with state and federal governments.
It seemed an obvious fit, given Mr
Abbott is almost as famous for his love
of lycra as for his budgie smugglers.
The PM responded in a flash. His
presence on the ride helped generate
national coverage for the Zoo2Zoo
event.
Ride organiser, Andrew McKay, told the
Dubbo Weekender: “We were fortunate
to have Prime Minister Tony Abbott ride
the first 25km with us from Taronga Zoo
to Castle Hill”.
“The publicity that was drawn for the
Black Dog Institute from his involvement
was fantastic,” Mr McKay said.
The Prime Minister told Australian
Associated Press prior to the ride that
“mental health is the hidden epidemic in
our community”.
“It’s something that’s happening
everywhere, so often unrecognised and
so often untreated.”
The first day of the ride finishes at the
top of the Blue Mountains in the small
township of Mt Victoria. Day two takes
riders to the National Trust-classified
township of Molong, where the local RSL
club hosts a dinner for the cyclists.
The final day is Molong to Western
Plains Zoo, where the riders and support
crew pass 'Animals On Bikes', a 120
kilometre paddock art sculpture trail
displaying 111 two-metre high
structures (and some smaller
letterboxes) on the back road from
Molong to Dubbo via Cumnock and
Yeoval.
The sculptures were created by local
farmers, farmers wives, men's sheds,
sculptors, preschool kids and playgroup
mums.
Sydney GP, Nigel Woodhead, who
participated in the 2014 Zoo2Zoo, said
he likes “the physical challenge” posed
by the 400km ride.
“I see cycling as my own little mental
health outlet and I saw the ride as a
good way to promote that,” Dr
Woodhead said.
He has already signed up for the 2015
ride, which rolls out on 16 October.
zoo2zoo.com/sydney-to-dubbo
blackdoginstitute.org.au
pg.11|Zoo2Zoo –BenjaminHaslem
Ben’s charity rides
Wells Haslem’s very own Benjamin
Haslem is no stranger to charity bike
rides, having completed the Sydney to
the Gong journey five times; Tour de PIF
Charity Cycling Challenge twice and the
Bobbin Head Cycle Classic once.
Ben achieved a milestone last year when
he finished in the top-100 fundraisers
(80th
) in the Sydney to the Gong ride,
securing $3,135 in donations for MS
Australia. 10,000 people registered for
the ride.
A number of Wells Haslem clients
donated generously.
Ben rode as part of the Lunarcy Team,
which raised $11,140, the most by any
team in the Hospitality & Tourism
category.
Ben is riding in the 104km Bobbin Head
Cycle Classic (‘The Bobbo’) on 29 March,
which raises money for Lifeline and other
charities.
You can sponsor Ben at bit.ly/1Ky1Xdn

12. Isabelle Walker
Believe it or not, it has almost been eight years since Obama
swept into power on a chorus of “Yes We Can!” The world has
changed significantly since then, and so has American politics.
Not only has the rise of the Tea Party given birth to the most
divisive and obstructive congress since the Civil War, but
America has ended two wars, battled a devastating recession,
and fronted the attack against a new world terror threat.
So who will be the next President of the United States?
Isabelle Walker has put together a short list of possible
candidates, including outside chances, front runners, and those
who could come away surprising everyone.
White House 2016
A form guide
Chris Christie
Governor of New Jersey
Chris Christie is the Governor of New Jersey
and has been touted as a potentially huge
player in the 2016Presidential Campaign.
In the aftermath of the devastation left by
Super Storm Sandy in the US North East,
Christie was praised for his bipartisanship
and his ability to work with Barack Obama.
But he in turn enraged his GOP colleagues
by joining forces with the President to fix
the battered Jerseycoast line.
Republicans

13. pg.13|WhiteHouse2016– Isabelle Walker
However in 2014 Christie used his
political capital to close several lanes of
the double decker George Washington
Bridge during morning peak hour,
causing chaos for NYC travellers. He did
this as political revenge aimed at
Democratic Mayor of Fort Lee, Mark
Sokolich, who refused to endorse
Christie in his election bid.
Christie is popular with a traditionally
Democratic demographic, which could
prove invaluable for the Republicans in
the North East. The GW Bridge scandal
will have left a sour taste in the mouth
of many New Jerseyans, but if there’s
one thing American politicians can rely
on, it’s voter amnesia.
unceremoniously dismissed by HP, resulting
in an instant jumpin thecompany’s stock.
Though Fiorina was reeling from the
dismissal, she has solidified her image as
a survivor, remaining in the spotlight
and fighting through the stigma of her
dumping to become a well-respected
authority on business.
Though she has never officially held
political office, Fiorina has earned her
stripes. Fiorina was an advisor to John
McCain during the 2008 Presidential
Campaign and was even being quietly
considered for the Vice Presidential
position. However, her 2010 bid for the
US Senate has been pointed to as a
potential challenge moving forward.
Republican strategists labelled the run
‘disastrous’, and also named unpaid
campaign debts and her dismissal from
Hewlett Packard as key issues to
overcome.
Jeb Bush
Former Governor of Florida
Son of the President George Bush Sr.,
and brother of President George W
Bush, John Ellis ‘Jeb’ Bush certainly has
Presidential blood coursing through his
veins.
This could be seen as his golden ticket or
the albatross hanging from his neck.
Touted by his father as the golden child,
everyone was surprised when it was
George, not Jeb, who got the first
Presidential Guernsey. Despite being
seven years younger than George, it was
always Jeb’s manifest destiny to reach
the heights of the American Executive.
The Florida “hanging chad” scandal
clouded Jeb’s Governorship for a time.
Conspiracy theorists on the left were
convinced that the Florida Electoral
College vote of 2004 was rigged by Jeb
to secure his brother’s Presidency.
However, Jeb has been lauded as the
front runner of the 2016 campaign. After
Mitt Romney’s early withdrawal from
the race, the Washington Post reported
that Bush is the only GOP candidate with
financial backing robust enough to pull
off a victory.
He is well liked among the majority of
Republicans but has drawn some ire
from the influential Tea Party for not
being ‘sufficiently conservative’.
Rand Paul
US Senator from Kentucky
Rand Paul is a young US Senator with a
strong Political pedigree. On Superbowl
Sunday 2015, he unofficially announced his
intention to run for President by
encouraging his followers to print out their
own ‘paper footballs’. These were quickly
hashtagged as #libertyballs and were
inscribedwith ‘RAND 2016’.
Paul is a Member of the Tea Party.
However, his Tea Party affiliation stems
from the fact that he is a staunch libertarian
and constitutionalist, rather than his having
a penchant for ultra-conservativism and
gun-totingreligiosity.
His father, Ron Paul, ran the 1988
Libertarian Presidential Campaign against
George Bush Sr. as a reaction to Bush’s
backflip onraising taxes.
Though the Tea Party has incredible sway in
the GOP and Washington D.C., it is unlikely
that Paul’s extreme Libertarianism will sit
well with anymoderate Republicans.
Carly Fiorina
Business Woman
Carly Fiorina is worth mentioning in this
Republican line-up because of her lack of
representative political experience. The one
time candidate for a US Senate seat from
California (2010) has thrown her hat in the
ring off the back of an impressive resume,
bothin business and political advising.
Fiorina was the first woman to head up a
Fortune 20 Company, and in 1998 was
named the ‘most powerful woman in
business.’ After stints with AT&T and
Lucent, Fiorina was named the CEO of
computing giant Hewlett Packard. After
just under six years, Fiorina was
Ted Cruz
US Senator from Texas
Ted Cruz is a Republican Senator with
strong ties to the Tea Party. A relatively
young Presidential candidate at 44, Cruz
is the first Latino Senator from Texas
and will thus command a strong vote
among the vital Latino community.
Born in Canada – a potentially
contentious issue given the hoopla of
Obama’s birth certificate scandal – Cruz
recently made waves with a Senate
filibuster in which he read out, among
other things, a Dr Seuss book, to his
children at their bedtime, on national
television. His filibuster was the third
longest in the US Senate history.
Cruz has rallied against Obamacare,
attempting to repeal it several times,
and was instrumental in the US
Government shutdown of 2013.
Cruz would be attractive to the
Republican Party due to his ability to
court the Latino vote which has
generally evaded the GOP. However, his
grass roots ties to the Tea Party and his
disdain for compromise may prove too
risky for moderate Republicans.
Republicans

14. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Former: Secretary of State;
Senator from New York; First Lady
Hillary Clinton is arguably the
Democratic Party’s front runner for
the 2016 Presidential Candidacy.
From her career’s humble beginnings
as a lawyer in Little Rock, Arkansas, to
fronting the Senate Committee during
the Benghazi debacle, Clinton has
continually polarised and impressed.
As First Lady, Clinton was
instrumental in formulating health
care policy and was known as a heavy
hitter when it came to high ranking
decisions.
Clinton ran a solid campaign for the
Democratic nomination in 2008 but
was edged out by Barack Obama. She
was made Secretary of State for the
first term of the Obama Government
and performed strongly. The
Republican Party crucified Clinton for
her handling of Benghazi, but the
incident in Libya is unlikely to destroy
her chances of becoming President.
With Clinton in the White House, she
brings with her a plethora of
experience in her husband, Bill –
arguably one of the most successful
post-war Presidents.
Joe Biden
Vice President, former US Senator
from Delaware
No stranger to a Presidential campaign,
Vice President Joe Biden is a Democratic
veteran. He ran for office in 1988 and
twenty years later in 2008, and he is set
for another shot at the White House
come 2016.
Biden is affable and recognisable,
thanks to his tenure as VP. He is
likeable, unassuming and Irish
Catholic, but having stood next to a
maligned President for the last few
years, his stock may have lowered.
He was 30 when he was elected to
the Senate (the minimum age
required to hold office) and suffered
immense tragedy in the weeks after
his election. His wife and young
daughter were killed in a car accident,
leaving Biden to look after two sons;
he commuted via train from
Wilmington in Delaware to
Washington D.C. every day (a one and
a half hour trip) to ensure he could be
at home every day for his sons.
Biden’s major downfall leading into
this election will be his age. At 72, he
will be an old Candidate and this
could prove a crucial point of
contention for many voters. Obama’s
choice to endorse either him or
Hillary Clinton (as is expected) will be
a major game changer.
Luis Gutierrez
Representative from Illinois
An outside chance, Luis Gutierrez has
had an intriguing career as a
Democratic political figure and Latino
activist. Of Puerto Rican descent,
Gutierrez has been compared to civil
rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
due to his use of non-violent civil
disobedience in his advocacy.
Gutierrez is a vocal advocate of
workers' rights, LGBT rights and
gender equality. His heritage will
make him popular with the Latino
vote, but his progressiveness may not
be palatable to the majority of white
America.
It would be unlikely the Democratic
Party would endorse such a
progressive and unknown candidate,
but Gutierrez has certainly earned the
right to throw his hat in the ring.
Martin O’Malley
Governor of Maryland,
Former Mayor of Baltimore
Martin O’Malley, as his name would
suggest, is an Irish Catholic and the
Governor of Maryland with a track record
of progress and tax reform. He has
overseen the legalisation of same-sex
marriage in Maryland, as well as the
outlawing of Capital Punishment.
His national ambitions are considered the
‘worst kept secret inMaryland’ and in 2013,
he admitted he was laying the framework
for a Presidential Run.
His issue will be going up against the big
hitters in Clinton and Biden with his relative
inexperience on the national stage.
Although it is unlikely O’Malley will succeed
in 2016, he should definitely be earmarked
for futureelections.
Democrats
Ed Rendell
Former Governor of Pennsylvania,
Former Mayor of Philadelphia
Ed Rendell spent eight years as the
Governor of Pennsylvania. His tenure as
Governor was highlighted by his ability to
capture traditionally Republican suburbs of
Philadelphia, as well as retaining heavily
Democratic areas (largely due to his
previousroleas Mayor ofPhiladelphia).
After his gubernatorial career ended in
2011, Ed Rendell returned to his former law
firm, Ballard Spahr.
Rendell was touted as a possible running
mate for John Kerry’s 2004 Presidential
ticket, and his popularity in Philadelphia
helped the Democrats secure the crucial
swing state ofPennsylvania.
Rendell has said publicly that if Hillary
Clinton is to forgo her opportunity for a run
at the White House, he would step up. In
his words: ‘well, why not?’

15. The celebrity sell
Alexandra Mayhew
Whether out of genuine altruism or just good PR, celebrities
frequently become involved with charities and causes.
The question is, who gets the benefit – the charity or the
celebrity? And who is getting it right?
In the case of the partnership between United Nations (UN)
Women and its Goodwill Ambassador, young British actor
Emma Watson, it’s very much a win-win situation.
In her HeForShe speech at the UN headquarters in New York in
September 2014 Ms Watson spoke out against the labelling of
feminism as a dirty word. Her speech gained global media
coverage and quickly went viral across the web. Importantly, it
wasn’t a one-off. She has continued her campaign for gender
equality. In January (2015) Ms Watson appeared with several
world leaders at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos
and later undertook a Twitter session where she responded to
the public’s tweets regarding feminism.
Again, her response to one tweet (next page) went viral and
gave the HeForShe cause and UN Women the kind of
international exposure PR companies can only dream of. Ms
Watson’s intelligent, sincere and polished performances at the
UN and Davos have also given her own profile a considerable
lift in the process.
We’ve also become familiar with the highly effective role
Angelina Jolie has played as a UN Goodwill Ambassador,
conducting more than 40 field visits over the last decade and
gaining much media attention in the process. Before her there
was Audrey Hepburn for UNICEF.
However many people who work in the charity sector will tell
you (off the record) that passionate and powerful ambassadors
like these three women are hard to come by. Many celebrities
enjoy the title or association that comes with forming a link
with a great cause or charity but apart from appearing at the
announcement or launch aren’t so willing when it comes to the
workload and other expectations.

16. And there are other challenges facing the celebrity
equals success formula.
Firstly, does the celebrity align with the charity?
Many charities choose only celebrities that have a
direct connection with the cause. However this can
limit choices.
Could the celebrity bring the charity into disrepute?
One of the more infamous examples recently was the
Grant Hackett incident which not only saw the former
Olympian experience his own fall from grace, but also
saw him potentially damage the charity for which he
was an ambassador. In 2012 the Herald Sun ran the
story “Olympic swim star Grant Hackett has been
dumped as ambassador of a major children's charity in
the wake of an alcohol-fuelled meltdown. The Allanah
and Madeline Foundation, which aims to protect
children from violence, last week informed Hackett's
management they were cutting ties with the swim
star, before the shocking photos emerged in
today’s Sunday Herald Sun.”
1
The celebrity’s
association with the Charity damages both the Charity
and, in the public eye, makes his own behaviour much
worse, further damaging his reputation.
Sometimes the smaller, less well known charities
simply don’t have the profile (or cash) to attract an A-
list celebrity.
Sometimes the perfect celebrity for a particular cause
is already contracted to another charity and may not
be permitted to be identified with another cause.
However while some may argue the equation does not
add up, if the strategy is sound and the celebrity can
be obtained, it is a winning formula.
For charities that can bring on board A-listers who are
not only passionate but intellectual the influence these
celebrities can bring is enormous.
Choosing the right ambassador goes deeper than value
alignment and celebrity status. Emma Watson is
successful for UN Women for a variety of reasons: she
is an intellectual (studying at Brown
University and Oxford University); she is a woman and
a feminist; she is well liked by most demographics and
both sexes; and she falls within an age bracket where
social media appeals to her biggest fans.
While the points in Ms Watson’s UN speech
were not new, they were revolutionary to a
whole new audience that would not have
otherwise engaged in the issue of feminism
and equality.
Getting a charity’s message out beyond the
‘converted’ means real growth, support and eventually
change. That is the ultimate success of a celebrity-
charity alignment. 1
http://bit.ly/16NcsdW

17. The Local Council website
A mish-mash of matters or a force for civic engagement?
Benjamin Haslem
We live in an age when WikiLeaks and computer analyst
whistleblower, Edward Snowden, have revealed how some
national governments hide information from their constituents
and carry out covert public surveillance on a grand scale.
The internet has provided the likes of WikiLeaks editor-in-chief
Julian Assange and Snowden the freedom and ability to
embarrass governments by providing the general public instant
access to reams of information politicians and other
government officials wanted hidden from view.
However, while the internet was used as a tool to shame and
embarrass government behemoths like Snowden’s former
employer, the National Security Agency, it can be used by
smaller governments, such as your humble local council, as a
tool for civic engagement.
While the NSA and their like want to keep voters in the dark
(often for sound national security reasons), local councils are
using the internet to boost residents’ civic engagement:
“knowledge, discussion, interest and participation in public
affairs – in government and politics, policy issues, and the
community”.1
But this local government revolution isn’t necessarily being
driven through social media platforms such as Facebook and
Twitter.
No, it’s being driven by the old humble local government
website.
At least by those councils which follow some simple rules when
designing and populating their websites. There are many,
particularly in Australia, which are not.
It was a growing awareness amongst government of the power
of the internet to engage with the public that was behind the
Obama administration in the United States decision to
prioritised the use of US federal websites to boost government
transparency and citizen input.
At the inaugural Open Government Partnership (OGP) meeting
in 2011, President Obama reiterated his belief “that the
strongest foundation for human progress lies in open
economies, open societies, and in open governments”.2
The US worked both domestically and internationally to ensure
global support for Open Government principles “to promote
transparency, to fight corruption, to energize civic engagement,
and to leverage new technologies in order to strengthen the
foundations of freedom in our own Nation”.3

18. This manifested in the successful launch
of We the People, the White House
petitions platform that gives Americans
a direct line to voice their concerns to
the Administration via online petitions.
In the first two years, more than 10
million users generated more than
270,000 petitions.
The same principles apply at the local
government level.
The development of the internet has
changed dramatically the way
government interact with the people.
It has provided opportunities for greater
political participation, more open and
transparent government, improved
citizens’ access to information and
services online and enhanced
communication between residents and
government via email and blogs.
It has also allowed local councils to
easily disseminate information about
volunteer efforts, neighbourhood
groups, or other civic initiatives.
It has helped drive civic engagement.
The University of Illinois at Chicago’s
College of Urban Planning and Public
Affairs conducted a content analysis
study of the websites of the 20 largest
cities in Illinois and the 75 largest cities
in the US and ranked them according to
features that could be expected to
encourage civic engagement.
Each website was scored according to
how well each presented the following
categories:
• Contact information
• Organizational information
• Processes and regulations
• Neighbourhood information
• Policy & performance documents
• Offline participation information
• Online interactivity & participation
• Transparency & accessibility
Contact information
Contacting officials has long been
tracked as a form of political
participation, and the availability of
email and contact information online
has improved the convenience of
citizen-initiated contacts.
Organisational information
Two of the most important
preconditions for civic engagement are
citizen awareness and knowledge of
various aspects of government – what
government does and who does what.
This enables citizens to request services,
complain, and share their views
regarding community issues and council
policies.
Three crucial pieces of information are:
1. Details on the duties and functions
of elected officials;
2. Organisational structure (either as
a graphic or a central list of
departments); and
3. A description of the activities of
council departments on the main
web page.
Processes and regulation
Knowledge about government processes
is necessary for participation.
Information on processes and regulation
should include:
• How budgets, capital plans, and
laws are made;
• How citizen initiatives or referenda
work;
• Municipal codes;
• Material on council meetings
(agendas, minutes, online videos,
podcasts, background on issues);
• Other current government policies
and regulations; and
• Information on voting and
elections.
Neighbourhood information
Civic engagement often occurs at the
neighbourhood level, with local
residents becoming involved in local
schools, or in volunteer efforts in their
immediate surroundings.
Councils can encourage residents to
become knowledgeable about their local
area by providing information on
neighbourhood characteristics such as
demographic information, local
economic condition, business
information, or maps).
Further, city websites may feature
information on neighbourhood-related
issues (such as affordable housing and
safety).
We the People, the White House
petitions platform, gives Americans a
direct line to voice their concerns to the
Administration via online petitions.
pg.18|Thelocalcouncilwebsite–BenjaminHaslem

19. Policy and performance information
Transparency is an important feature of
government online. Residents are
better prepared to hold government
accountable for its actions when they
can find information on policies and
track government performance.
The University of Illinois researchers
highlight a number of policy and
performance documents online that
boost transparency including budgets;
background information on budgets;
press releases; text or video of major
speeches by the mayor, manager or
council leadership; capital improvement
plans; explanations of the plan; financial
audit reports; and agency annual
performance reports.
Information for offline participation
Knowledge, discussion, interest and
participation in the local community is a
key element of civic engagement and
encouraging volunteering is key.
Local councils can publicize charity
events, volunteer opportunities, or the
need for donations to charities or non-
profits. They can highlight local groups
through either information or links to
council-sponsored citizen organizations
and other neighbourhood-oriented
organizations, and non-profits or
charities.
These can include the development of
community gardens; bush regeneration
programs; or volunteering in council
libraries or animal shelters.
Online interactivity & participation
The digital space has become an
important tool through which citizens
express their views about politics, policy
and community.
Twitter and Facebook are crucial
platforms for such discussions; though it
is important the local councils closely
monitor activity and respond speedily to
queries and criticisms.
Other areas of interactivity include
downloadable forms, online
transactions, citizen surveys, online
newsletters or email updates,
downloadable information, searchable
databases, online comment forms or
message boxes, RSS feeds, discussion
boards, virtual town hall meetings,
Facebook, YouTube and Twitter links.
Transparency and accessibility
A Council website can have all the best
information in the world but if it is not
easily found it will do little to boost civic
engagement.
Information should always be up-to-
date and accessible to people from non-
English-speaking backgrounds and/or
with disabilities.
Unfortunately many Australia local
council websites, while rich in much of
the resources discussed above, are
poorly designed and cluttered and busy
in their presentation, with numerous
links that are presented in at times
illogical order and priority.
An example of a good Australian local
government website is Penrith City
Council in Sydney’s outer west. It’s
design is clean and simple with the
number of links kept to a minimum with
drop-down menus.
The most commonly searched for
information is presented under six ‘I
WANT TO …’ links:
• Check on my development;
• Search the Library Catalogue
• Hire a Hall
• Look for Jobs
• Pay my rates or sundry debt
• Find community services
While I (thankfully) haven’t visited every
local government website on the planet,
one that has achieved praise in the UK is
Maidstone Borough Council. It borders
on almost boring for its simplicity but
wins for its utility. Other councils could
do worse than follow its example.
maidstone.gov.uk
pg.19|Thelocalcouncilwebsite–BenjaminHaslem
Footnotes
1
Mossberger, K and Jimenez, B. 2009. Can e-government promote civic engagement? A study of local government websites in Illinois and the U.S.
University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs.
2
The Open Government Partnership – Second Open Government National Action Plan For The United States Of America: A Preview Report,
October 2013, The White House
3
Ibid

20. BLOG SPOTwellshaslem.com.au/blog
Blog Spot wellshaslem.com.au/blog
Interesting piece by Kayla Matthews on
PR Daily about how the PR industry is
portrayed in popular culture.
This depiction may feed into journalists'
perception of the industry, though
obviously the media's own regular
interaction with PR professionals
colours its view.
Many of my former journalist colleagues
think we spend most of our days writing
media releases and phoning journalists.
Why wouldn't they; that forms the bulk
of their experience interfacing with PR
professionals.
While this may be true if you're an in-
house media manager or politician's
press secretary, the craft of PR is far
more complicated than that.
Communicating with stakeholders (any
person who has a stake in an issue,
event, policy etc that you are dealing
with) involves numerous channels, be it
via the media; through social media;
newsletters; e-mail; snail mail; websites;
conferences; community meetings;
focus groups; personal phone calls; F2F
calls, so on and so forth.
Before even communicating, it is
necessary to analyse each stakeholder
and stakeholder group:
o What is their interest in what our
client is doing?
o What is their expectation? How do
they think they should be treated?
o What is their level of influence
over other stakeholders?
o What is tactically the best way to
engage with them?
Once you've figured that out, you can
start thinking about the actual act of
communicating.
Not exactly how it's portrayed in
popular culture…
Keep reading: bit.ly/197uqJD
#3#2#1
Social media hath
fury when a vegan
scorned
21 November 2014- Benjamin Haslem
Can
digital media
influence justice?
6 February 2015 – Isabelle Walker
On February 6 2015 in Baltimore
County, Maryland, USA, a young man
who had spent nearly half his life in
prison had his first hope of an appeal
since his conviction 15 years ago.
Adnan Syad was convicted of the
murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee,
on 25 February 2000, following her 13
January disappearance and subsequent
murder. Her body was found in a
shallow grave on February 9 1999.
In what was for the state an open and
shut case of jealousy, pride and fatal
obsession, Adnan was given a life
sentence for the crime, despite
consistently protesting his innocence.
In 2014, former Baltimore Sun
journalist, Sarah Koenig was approached
by a family friend of Adnan’s. She was
charged with the task of delving deeper
into the case; interviewing numerous
friends, family and teachers of both Hae
and Adnan to investigate areas of the
case that had previously been left
untouched.
What has followed is the podcast Serial,
produced by Koenig, which has reached
over 68 million people so far. It had 12
episodes in its first season, and it
documents areas of the case Koenig has
explored and thoroughly research in her
capacity as an investigative journalist.
It was the opinion of Adnan’s family and
friends that the case had been severely
botched at trial by a defence attorney
(now deceased) who had made
deliberate oversights in order to get a
conviction and a subsequent appeal, to
increase her fee.
Koenig uncovered several flaws in the
state case, a convincing alibi for Adnan,
and numerous other holes in the case.
As mentioned above, he has just last…
Keep reading: bit.ly/1viepFf
The owner of a Hunter Valley
hamburger restaurant has learned the
hard way about the dangers of social
media.
His tale of woe is a salutary reminder to
all businesses that while social media is
a useful marketing tool, it can cause
massive harm if used incorrectly.
Mark Clews, part-owner of Tuk Tuk in
the Tempus Two winery complex about
two-hours north of Sydney, made the
mistake of ridiculing a vegan, as you can
see from the top screenshot at left.
As the Newcastle Herald reports: "... the
restaurant's Facebook page ha[s] been
swamped with more than 900 one-star
reviews… In screenshots of posts, Mr
Clews refuses to apologise and labels
detractors 'vegan Nazis'," the paper
reports (click on bottom screenshot at
left).
Mr Clews said angry social media users
tracked down his mobile phone number
and "made threatening phone calls up
until midnight".
The Tempus Two winery has distanced
itself from the fracas: "We would like to
advise that [these] comments and views
are not supported by Tempus Two, and
we in no way condone this behaviour by
Tuk Tuk Hunter Valley".
Mr Clews later told the Newcastle
Herald he would apologise to the
customer if she came back.
A new Facebook page – "Tuk Tuk Hunter
Valley Honest Reviews" – has since been
created by critics where comments
posted on the Tuk Tuk Facebook page -
but later deleted - are posted.
The yarn has created a great deal of
media interest, being picked up by the
Kyle and Jackie O show and Channel…
Keep reading: bit.ly/1KGFevy
10 ways popular
culture wrongly
depicts the PR industry
6 January 2015 - Benjamin Haslem

21. A message from Eric Sidoti, Director of
the Whitlam Institute
While Gough Whitlam will be
remembered well beyond today, the
days ahead will be particularly special
times for remembering and for sharing
stories. They will be times of reflection
on the man Gough Whitlam. The Leader.
The intellectual. The visionary.
As one former Whitlam minister put it
to me this morning after news of
Gough's death, 'the memories are
crashing over me like the waves on
Bondi Beach.'
Gough Whitlam will be remembered in
many ways, but after this time of
personal memories and recollections,
Gough Whitlam will be remembered as
the reforming leader who willed a
modern Australia into being. His legacy
is woven into the very fabric of our daily
lives.
His achievements are not simply a
matter for history - they are embedded
in the living memory of our nation.
Gough Whitlam catapulted Australia
into the modern world. He claimed a
place for us in the region and in
international affairs. He educated a
generation: funding schools on the basis
of their need and opening our
universities to all on the basis of their
merit. He established universal health
care and for the first time, committed
the national government to developing
the outer suburbs of our cities as well as
regional Australia. He sought to right the
wrongs of Aboriginal dispossession and
he sought a place for all in this land we
share. He transformed our country and
the way we saw ourselves. Just as he set
out to, he 'uplifted the horizons of the
Australian people'…
Keep reading: bit.ly/16RrhfE
Our lives have been impacted by the
tremendous growth of China over the
past 50 years. The question is: what do
we have ahead of us?
Daniel H. Rosen, Jack Wadsworth
Fellow, Asia Society Policy
Institute, addressed these questions
today at the Asia Society Policy Institute
Australian launch of the Institute’s first
report: “Avoiding the Blind Alley: China’s
Economic Overhaul and its Global
Implications”.
China’s growth from 2000 to 2012 has
been unprecedented. This growth was
championed by Deng Xiaoping, who
opened up China to the world from
1992.
The sheer number of people in China
moving into the urbanised workforce
made a tremendous contribution.
However the impact of the one child
policy means China’s labour force is
destined to shrink — at least for the
foreseeable future. Education can make
up for this shortfall to a point; however
it will not fill the deficit.
Interestingly, the 2000s are referred to
as a lost decade for China, in regards to
lost productivity. Reform here is key.
President Xi Jinping will not weather the
next ten years without a crisis unless he
does something drastic to change the
road China is on. That is, he must take
bold steps to institute a new model if
the nation is to avoid crisis.
Mr Rosen evaluated China’s GDP
outlook and concluded that in the best-
case scenario – a soft landing through
2020 – reforms permit the
redeployment of capital from wasteful
uses to high-return sectors, so capital
stock growth and TFP improvements
deliver a combined GDP growth rate of…
Keep reading: bit.ly/1ybXzrC
Yesterday saw one of Australia's biggest
retailers make a rookie error - its
website crashed following the launch of
a much advertised product. Was it poor
tech planning or simply naivety about
the popularity of online shopping?
Popular for its cheap prices and staple
clothing and home wares, Target has
come under fire for poor planning in the
wake of its launch of Italian design
house, Missoni.
The company website crashed yesterday
when it was overwhelmed by the sheer
volume of online shoppers wanting to
be the first to snap up the cheap
designer clothing, kitchen, dining and
living items.
Easily avoidable, and definitely
foreseeable, shoppers are coming down
hard on the company saying the crash is
not a ‘badge of honour but a failure to
forecast’.
Savvy eBay users then took advantage
of the site’s crash to on-sell their shop-
bought items at a hugely inflated
price. It was reported that “A Missoni
for Target Multi-Wave A5 Set of
Notebooks [was] selling for $45 on eBay
versus $30 at Target online; a beach
towel for $129.99 versus $40 online at
Target; and a hand towel for $69.99
versus $20 on Target’s website.”
Online shoppers were livid at the site
crash, insisting that management should
have been prepared for the
unprecedented volume, especially in
light of the fact the same thing had
happened during the launch of Missoni
for Target in the United States.
By 10.30pm, the site was still down and
many had given up. One only imagines
the sales Target missed out on during
this time and whether there could…
Keep reading: bit.ly/1DgCD9r
#6
Where is
China and
where’s It Going?
30 October 2014 – Alexandra Mayhew
#5
Missed
the
target
7 October 2014 – Isabelle Walker
#4
The passing of
the Hon Gough
Whitlam AC QC
22 October 2014 - Eric Sidoti

22. Victorian Government: ALP
Daniel Andrews
Premier
Leader of the Labor Party
Acting Minister for Regional
Development
James Merlino
Deputy Premier
Minister for Education
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
Gavin Jennings
Special Minister of State
Leader of the Government in the
Legislative Council
Martin Pakula
Attorney-General
Minister for Racing
Natalie Hutchins
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Minister for Local Government
Minister for Industrial Relations
Jaala Pulford
Minister for Agriculture
Minister for Regional Development
Deputy Leader of the Government in
the Legislative Council
Jill Hennessy
Minister for Ambulance Services
Minister for Health
Jane Garrett
Minister for Emergency Services
Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming
& Liquor Regulation
Wade Noonan
Minister for Corrections
Minister for Police
Martin Foley
Minister for Mental Health
Minister forHousing, Disability& Ageing
Minister for Creative Industries
Minister for Equality
Jacinta Allan
Minister for Employment
Minister for Public Transport
Manager,GovernmentBusiness(Assembly)
Lily D’Ambrosio
Minister for Energy & Resources
Minister for Industry
Lisa Neville
Minister for Environment, Climate
Change & Water
Jenny Mikakos
Minister for Families & Children
Minister for Youth Affairs
Robin Scott
Minister for Finance
Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Richard Wynne
Minister for Planning
Luke Donnellan
Minister for Ports
Minister for Roads & Road Safety
Adem Somyurek
MinisterforSmallBusiness,Innovation&Trade
John Eren
Minister for Sport
Minister for Tourism & Major Events
Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Fiona Richardson
MinisterforthePreventionofFamilyViolence
Minister for Women
Steve Herbert
Minister for Training & Skills
Queensland Government: ALP
Annastacia Palaszczuk
Premier & Minister for the Arts
Jackie Trad
Deputy Premier
Minister for Transport
Minister for Infrastructure, Local
Government & Planning
Minister for Trade
Curtis Pitt
Treasurer
Minister for Employment & Industrial
Relations
Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait
Islander Partnerships
Cameron Dick
Minister for Health & Minister for
Ambulance Services
Kate Jones
Minister for Education
Minister for Tourism, Major Events,
Small Business & the Commonwealth
Games
Anthony Lynham
Minister for State Development
Minister for Natural Resources &
Mines
Yvette D’Ath
Attorney-General
Minister for Justice
Minister for Training & Skills
Jo-Ann Miller
Minister for Police, Fire & Emergency
Services
Minister for Corrective Services
Bill Byrne
Minister for Agriculture & Fisheries
Minister for Sport & Racing
Mark Bailey
Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety
& Ports
Minister for Energy & Water Supply
Steven Miles
Minister for Environment & Heritage
Protection
Minister for National Parks & the
Great Barrier Reef
Leeanne Enoch
Minister for Housing & Public Works
Minister for Science & Innovation
Shannon Fentiman
Minister for Communities, Women &
Youth,
Minister for Child Safety
Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Coralee O’Rourke
Minister for Disability Services,
Minister for Seniors
Minister Assisting the Premier on
North Queensland
Stirling Hinchliffe
Assistant Minister of State Assisting
the Premier
Commonwealth Government: LP/NAT
Tony Abbott
Prime Minister
Warren Truss
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Infrastructure & Regional
Development
(Leader of the Nationals)
Julie Bishop
Minister for Foreign Affairs
(Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party)
Eric Abetz
Minister for Employment
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister
for the Public Service
(Leader of the Government in the
Senate)
George Brandis
Attorney-General
Minister for the Arts
(Deputy Leader of the Government in
the Senate)
(Vice-President of the Executive
Council)
Joe Hockey
Treasurer
The Hon Barnaby Joyce MP
Minister for Agriculture
(Deputy Leader of the Nationals)
Christopher Pyne
Minister for Education & Training
(Leader of the House)
Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion
Minister for Indigenous Affairs
(Leader of the Nationals in the Senate)
Ian Macfarlane
Minister for Industry & Science
Scott Morrison
Minister for Social Services
The Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP
Minister for Communications
Sussan Ley
Minister for Health
Minister for Sport
Bruce Billson
Minister for Small Business
The Hon Andrew Robb AO MP
Minister for Trade & Investment
Kevin Andrews
Minister for Defence
Greg Hunt
Minister for the Environment
Peter Dutton
Minister for Immigration & Border
Protection
Mathias Cormann
Minister for Finance
Northern Territory reshuffle: CLP
Adam Giles
Premier
Minister for Tourism
Minister for Northern and Central
Australia
Minister for Economic Development
and Major Projects
Minister for Indigenous Affairs
John Elferink
Attorney-General and Minister for
Justice
Minister for Children and Families
Minister for Health
Minister for Disability Services
Minister for Mental Health Services
Minister for Correctional Services
David Tollner
Treasurer
Minister for Lands and Planning
Minister for Mines and Energy
Peter Chandler
Minister for Police, Fire and
Emergency Services
Minister for Education
Minister for Transport
Minister for Infrastructure
Minister for Veterans Support
South Australia reshuffle: ALP
Susan Close
Minister for Education and Child
Development
Minister for the Public Sector
John Rau
Deputy Premier
Attorney-General
Minister for Justice Reform
Minister for Planning
Minister for Housing and Urban
Development
Minister for Industrial Relations
Minister for Child Protection Reform
Kyam Maher
Minister for Manufacturing and
Innovation
Minister for Automotive
Transformation
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and
Reconciliation
Ian Hunter
Minister for Sustainability,
Environment and Conservation
Minister for Water and the River
Murray
Minister for Climate Change
Katrine Hilyard
Parliamentary Secretary to the
Premier
Since our last edition of The Shell
New
Government Ministry
Lists

23. For the past 21
Years John was a
founding partner
and senior
consultant in one
of Australia’s
leading public
relations
companies,
Jackson Wells.
Prior to that John’s
career embraced
journalism at the
most senior levels
in Australia and
overseas. He has
extensive
experience in
media
management in
both television and
radio, has provided
policy advice to
Federal political
leaders and offers
public affairs
consulting.
Benjamin has 20
years’ experience
in the media.
Ben worked at
Jackson Wells for
nine years, where
he managed and
worked on
complex projects
and became a
Director and CEO.
Ben possesses an
acute
understanding of
mainstream media,
having spent the
best part of a
decade working for
The Australian
newspaper in
Sydney, Canberra
and Melbourne.
Ben has lectured
students from the
City University of
Hong Kong on
public relations
and government
affairs.
Immediately
before joining
Jackson Wells, Ben
was The Australian
newspaper’s High
Court
correspondent and
regularly acted as
Chief-of-Staff at
the Sydney Bureau.
From 1999-2002,
he was based in
the Parliamentary
press gallery in
Canberra.
Alexandra has over
seven years’
experience in the
public relations
industry and a
communications
degree from
Charles Sturt
University.
Alexandra
previously: was an
Account Manager
at Jackson Wells;
headed up
marketing and
media at a sports
publishing
company; and
worked with a
consumer public
relations
consultancy.
Alexandra is
involved in the
United Nations
Association of
Australia Young
Professionals.
Kerry’s career has
embraced the
highest levels of
Australian political
life and the cutting
edge of business
development. He
was an ALP
Senator for NSW
for 19 years,
including President
of the Australian
Senate from 1987
until retiring from
Parliament in 1994
to become
Australia’s High
Commissioner to
Zimbabwe and six
other southern
African nations.
He is a former
director of
Zimbabwe
Platinum Mines
and World IT.
From 2003 to 2010
he served the
Government of the
Republic of
Mozambique as
their Honorary
Consul-General in
Australia.
In 1996, he was
awarded an Order
of Australia.
Kerry Sibraa AO
Special Counsel
Julie has 20 years’
experience in
public policy in
both the
government and
private sectors.
She began her
roles in
government during
the Hawke/Keating
era, working with
Federal
parliamentarians
including the
Health Minister
where she had
responsibility for
drug policy, mental
health and
women’s health.
She later worked
for NSW Minister
John Della Bosca,
for nine years, the
office of the
Premier of NSW,
and was COS to the
NSW Treasurer.
In 2009 was the
Deputy Chief of
Staff to the Federal
Minister for
Employment
Participation.
Julie spent nearly
two years as
National Policy
Manager for
Infrastructure
Partnerships
Australia.
Julie Sibraa
Special Counsel
Wells Haslem Team
John Wells
Chairman
Alexandra Mayhew
Partner
Isabelle Walker
Account Executive
Isabelle completed
a Bachelor of Arts
(Government and
International
Relations) at the
University of
Sydney. Her
passion for US
politics prompted
her to take
numerous courses
at the university’s
innovative United
States Studies
Centre – where
Wells Haslem’s
Michael Baume
was a Board
Member. Here she
was invited to join
a round table
discussion about
US-Australian
affairs with the US
Assistant Secretary
of State for the
Asia Pacific.
Isabelle works
across a range of
Wells Haslem
clients providing
intelligent
direction and
support.
Benjamin Haslem
CEO
Geoffrey is a
recent Graduate of
Charles Sturt
University with a
Bachelor of
Communication
(Public Relations
and Business
Studies ). His
degree has given
him an in-depth
understanding of
strategic public
relations.
His work
experience and
internships across
local government,
corporate
communications
firms, and
consumer public
relations firms
have given him
insights into
various industries
and their
requirements.
Geoff MacDermott
Account Executive

24. Robert Masters
Director
pg.24|Team
Robert Masters &
Associates (RMA) is
a strategic
communication
and stakeholder
engagement
consultancy.
Since its inception,
its approach to
strategic
communication
programs,
community
consultation and
stakeholder
engagement
processes have
earned it a
reputation of being
at the leading edge
of communication
management for
over 30 years.
Rob’s services and
clients cover the
energy sector (oil,
gas, coal),
electricity,
forestry,
government
(federal, state,
local) water,
finance,
automotive, health
and health
research,
pharmaceutical,
education,
transport (road
and rail),
information
technology,
primary industry,
environment and
retail.
Robert Masters & Associates & ICG Team
John Kananghinis
Senior Associate
Angus Nicholls
Senior Associate
Garry Oliver
Senior Associate
ChristopherGalloway
Academic Associate Maria Vampatella
Senior Consultant Kate Adamson
PR & media
Angus has in
excess of 15 years’
experience of
working with, in,
and around all
levels of
Government in
Australia, in roles
ranging from
lobbying, to
advising a Federal
Minister, and as an
elected
representative of
his local Council.
He was an Adviser
and Acting Chief of
Staff to a former
Federal Minister.
Complementing
Angus’
government
experience is his
commercial trading
background,
having run one of
the nation’s largest
seafood wholesale
and commercial
fishing operations
out of Melbourne.
Garry has close to
40 years of
consultancy
experience. Garry
has acted as a
consultant to
senior
management in a
wide variety of
public and private
sector
organisations on
government
relations, investor
relations,
issues/crisis
management,
communication
strategies and
marketing.
Before entering
the consulting field
he was a senior
finance journalist
with The Age and
deputy finance
editor of The Sun
News-Pictorial. He
is a Certified
Practising
Accountant (CPA)
and holds a Master
of Business
Administration
Degree (MBA).
Dr Chris Galloway
specialises in
issues, crisis and
risk
communication,
with a focus on
reputation risk
management.
Before launching
an academic
career, Dr
Galloway was a
senior corporate
affairs executive,
working for
organisations
including Telecom
New Zealand, the
New Zealand Meat
Board and Public
Trust.
He has a PhD
(Monash), Master
of Management
[Communication
Management]
(Distinction),
Massey University
New Zealand,
2000; a Master of
Communications
(Merit), Victoria
University of
Wellington, 1997;
APR - Accredited in
Public Relations,
Public Relations
Institute of New
Zealand, 1991; and
a Bachelor of Arts
(University of
Auckland), 1971
Maria has worked
in communication
for over 25 years
with major
international and
national
consultancies with
specific expertise
in media relations
and strategic
communication.
She has assisted in
developing
effective
partnerships at a
national and
international level
with health
organisations,
education,
government and
community groups
covering strategic
communication
planning,
corporate and
government
integration, and
strategic alliances
with policy makers
and leaders.
Kate is a senior
consultant and
former journalist
and public affairs
manager with
more than 15
years’ experience
in journalism and
ministerial and
government
relations.
She has worked
both nationally
and internationally
on a range of
industry and
government
projects, including
justice, finance,
environment,
health, education,
technology and
agribusiness.
Kate provides
invaluable media
insight and
knowledge in what
is a rapidly
changing media
landscape with a
focus on tangible
results.
John has close to
30 years’
experience in
strategic
communication
planning and
implementation
both as a
consultant and as a
senior executive
within highly
successful multi-
national
companies.
John has been
Managing Director
of a leading
Australasian
communication
consultancy and
has almost two
decades of senior
corporate
experience
through his roles
as General
Manager of
Marketing &
Communications
for BMW Australia
and Sales &
Marketing Director
for Scania
Australia.
John studied law at
Victoria University,
Wellington and is
also holds a
Diploma in
Business
Communications
from Massey
University in New
Zealand.

25. Ron is one of WA’s
most respected
government
relations
specialists,
enjoying an
excellent working
relationship with
all sides of politics.
From 1983-1993,
he was Federal MP
for the Perth
electorate of
Stirling. Prior to
leaving parliament,
Ron was Deputy
Speaker.
In 2006 he was
awarded a PhD in
Education from the
University of WA,
which investigated
factors that
promote social
inclusion.
Ron is a keen AFL
fan and in 1994
helped established
The Graham (Polly)
Farmer
Foundation. He has
been a Board
member since its
inception.
Ron, who has
extensive
experience in the
fisheries and
mining sectors,
assists Wells
Haslem clients
communicate with
the WA State
Government and
Federal MPs and
Senators based in
WA.
Affiliates and Counsel
Ron Edwards
WesternAustralia
Michael is a former
diplomat, front-
bench federal
politician,
consultant,
journalist, public
company director,
stockbroker, TV
panellist and
commentator,
author and public
speaker.
He is Deputy
Chairman of the
American
Australian
Association Ltd, a
member of the
Sydney Symphony
Orchestra Council
and a former
board-member of
the United States
Studies Centre at
Sydney University.
He is a contributor
to the Spectator
Magazine and a
former regular
columnist in the
Australian
Financial Review.
Michael
Baume AO
Special Counsel
(Emeritus)
Dr Trevor Cook
Digital Counsel
pg.25 |Team

26. CONTACT
Wells Haslem Strategic Public Affairs
+61 2 9033 8667
mail@wellshaslem.com.au
wellshaslem.com.au
Level 1, 50 Yeo St
(PO Box 223)
Neutral Bay NSW 2089
Twitter: @WellsHaslem
Find us on: Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+
Designed and produced by Wells Haslem
Strategic Public Affairs PTY LTD
February 2015
L-R: WHSPA Christmas Party 2014: Nicholas Booth & Josh Fett; Geoffrey Ronald Robertson QC with Kerry & Julie Sibraa; Mosman Councillor Simon Menzies