This document discusses government communication and lobbying. It defines lobbying as trying to influence government decisions through agents representing interest groups. Lobbyists represent third party clients seeking to make representations to government representatives like ministers and MPs. Lobbying activities involve oral, written, or electronic communications to influence legislation, policy, funding, or contracts. The financial industry in the US spends over $100 million annually lobbying lawmakers. Amnesty's advocacy team also lobbies governments to advance human rights. A lobbying disclosure bill aims to enhance transparency around lobbying of MPs to boost trust in democracy.

1. PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE
2014
Week 10
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DR KANE HOPKINS

2. 1
2Lobbying
Government communication

3. GOVERNMENT
COMMUNICATION

4. Public sector organisations in NZ
4

5. The public sector
communications function
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• With effective communication, greater trust can be
built among government, the general public, and
the media
• Government communication needs to meet public
expectations and be a credible source of
information for citizens, particularly in public safety
or emergency situations
• Government communication needs to be as good
as the best in any sector

7. Public sector communications
The public sector communications function
enables:
• The effective flow of information and ideas between
an agency and its internal and external publics
• To facilitate participation, service delivery, and
informed decision-making
• To build accountability and trust in government
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8. Public sector communications
This is achieved by:
• developing, delivering and evaluating public
agency communications based on good practice
communications techniques, supported by the
principles of integrity and neutrality of the public
service
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10. Participation
• Public sector communication is a service for citizens.
The guiding principle is openness
• Effective public sector communication is a dialogue,
engaging with individual and communities at all levels
and helping them voice their views and opinions
• Agencies should be credible, efficient and prompt
disseminators of authoritative information. They should
answer questions accurately, honestly, and completely
• A clear and positive (not misleading) presentation of
government policies and achievements is important in
maintaining the trust and confidence of the public
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11. Informed decision-making and
service design
• Good communication is essential for effective
consultation and engagement, informing policy-making
and service design, and ultimately leading to better policy
and services.
• Communicating clearly and credibly in a co-ordinated
way enables citizens to make decisions, particularly in a
public safety or emergency situation.
• Agencies therefore need close integration of the policy
development, service delivery, and communications
functions. Communication is a core part of the process of
policy and service development and is critical to effective
management of public safety or emergency situations
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12. Accountability
• Citizens can judge the quality of decisions and the
delivery of services that affect their lives using
information given by government
• Agencies must be accountable for what they do, be
prepared to explain and defend decisions, and also
to admit mistakes
• Agencies should develop communications strategies
that link communication explicitly to the achievement
of their outcomes
• Political neutrality is a cornerstone of public sector
communications
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14. 4 Communications Function Review 2010 – Final Report
Not a communications/client
information/community
engagement role
Communications role
Communications
Support role
Client Information
Services role
Community or Stakeholders
Engagement role
Not a communications/client
information/community
engagement role
YES
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
Determining how to designate a role
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Does the role mainly involve producing or delivering
information, or seek to engage stakeholders?
Does the role mainly involve producing content for, or liaising
with, the media?
Does the role mainly involve producing or delivering
information to staff?
Does the role mainly involve any combination of:
public relations planning and risk management•
reputation, brand or image management•
speech writing•
writing and design of publications, web or other channels•
that explain the Ministry’s role, support its reputation
providing general information to the public or mass•
audiences?
Does the role mainly involve:
design or production of publications•
technical development or maintenance websites•
maintenance of contact databases•
production of static images, video or audio?•
Does the role primarily involve production or delivery of
information that is directed towards individual clients to
inform them about, or help to access, an entitlement, service
or product?
Does the role primarily involve face-to-face contact with
individuals or small groups of people who partner with
the Ministry to deliver services or policy outcomes, or whose
direct involvement is otherwise necessary to the delivery
of a Ministry's output?
Does the role primarily involve engagement with community
organisations or seek to involve groups of people directly in
services or the policy development process?

17. Lobbying
Definition:
The practice of trying to influence government
decisions, usually done by agents who serve
interest groups
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Poindexter says:!
There is a ‘how to
lobby an MP’
guide on Stream.

18. Lobbyists
• A lobbyist is any person, company or
organisation, or their employee, who conducts
lobbying activities on behalf of a third party client
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19. Clients
• Lobbyists' clients are individuals, associations,
organisations or businesses who have engaged
the lobbyist to make representations to
government representatives
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20. Government representatives
• A minister
• An associate minister
• Members of parliament
• A person employed or engaged by a minister
• Staff and management within the State Service
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21. Regulating lobbyists
• Lobbying of both the executive and the
legislature in Canada and the United States is
regulated by longstanding laws
• Australia has reintroduced a code of conduct for
lobbying
• Both Houses of the French Parliament have
introduced rules for lobbyists
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22. Lobbying activities
• Lobbying activities comprise oral, written or
electronic communications with a government
representative in an effort to influence
government decision-making, including:
– The making or amendment of legislation
– The development or amendment of a
government policy or programme
– The awarding of a government contract or
grant or the allocation of funding
21

23. Big business
• In 2011, the financial industry United States
spent over $100 million to lobby lawmakers
about lending, trading and debit card fees
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24. Amnesty's advocacy team
• Informs and influences the New Zealand
government to advance Amnesty's aims, research
and recommendations.
• Informs and influences foreign governments, both
directly and through their New Zealand embassies,
about Amnesty’s concerns and recommendations for
the countries they represent.
• Works with Amnesty members and members of the
public to lobby both national and international
decision-makers to ensure human rights are upheld.
Source: www.amnesty.org.nz
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25. Lobbying disclosure bill
• The bill seeks to bring a measure of transparency
and public disclosure around the lobbying
activity directed at members of Parliament and
their staff, and in so doing to enhance trust in the
integrity and impartiality of democracy and
political decision making.
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