Govcomms: The Future Of Government Communication

As communicators, we should all know by now that internal communication is the beating heart of any healthy organisation. Because without it, everything falls apart. And though that may sound scary there are plenty of tools available to introduce smooth internal communication to your department or agency. This week on the podcast we explore the implementation of enterprise social media, or large-scale internal communication, with Rita Zonius, an international leader in internal communication. With a rich career in the bank sector, Rita was the Head of Internal Communication for ANZ for more than a decade. One of her biggest achievements was the implementation of an enterprise social network to connect over 60,000 ANZ employees around the world. After leaving ANZ in late-2017, Rita has become a leading consultant in the field and recognised internationally for her work in enterprise social networking. Under the alias The Enterprise Social Engineer she now works with brands around the world assisting them with

This week on GovComms we talk with Caroline Fisher,an Assistant Professor in journalism at the University of Canberra. Caroline is a member of the News & Media Research Centre and co-author of the annual Digital News Report-Australia. Caroline is the recipient of the 2018 Anne Dunn Scholar Award and the 2017 Early Career Researcher Excellence Award in Humanities and the Creative Arts. In 2014 and 2017 Caroline was the recipient of a Vice Chancellor’s Award for excellence in teaching. Today we discuss how to navigate changes in the digital landscape and what that means for communication professionals in government.  Discussed in this episode: The changes in the way Australians communicate digitally News literacy and consumption continues to rise in Australia How to overcome the fear of not knowing what works Social media remains as a popular tool for news consumption The new skills for government communicators to engage citizens Expanding your presence to assure you reach your whole audience How to give c

This week on GovComms we talk with Neryl East, an experienced government communicator, about how to successfully and positively navigate change in our industry. Starting her career in the late 1990s, Neryl has encountered many dramatic shifts in communication. Following the introduction of the internet and social media, Neryl was an early advocate for governments using online tools to connect directly with citizens and residents. Today she shares tips with you on how to navigate such changes and approach your communication strategies to producing the best outcome. Discussed in this episode: Why the ability to write efficiently is the key tool to online communication How to use curiosity to your own advantage Tricks to keep up with changing digital trends The connection between traditional media and modern communication Don’t be reluctant to try new tools or technology Seeking inspiration from local governments  

Recently David presented at ComCAN, an event by the Department of Finance that explores communication challenges faced in the public sector and ways they can be solved. Held quarterly, ComCAN is an opportunity for government communicators to network and work together to coordinate efforts in the communication space; this includes digital communication, social media and advancements in communication technology. In this episode of GovComms we’re excited to share with you David’s presentation, providing you with the tools and information to assist you in navigating government communications in the 21st century.   For more updates on government communication find contentgroup on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

This week we bring you a special episode of GovComms; a free masterclass on how-to pitch to the media. We provide you with the tools and know how to approach the media confidently. No stranger to this practice, David spent ten years pitching stories as a journalist and several more doing the same thing from the other side. In this masterclass he shares this perfected approach and how you can now successfully get your story and your message in front of the media. Be sure not to miss any future masterclasses and subscribe today. Discussed in this episode: The key steps to creating a great media pitch What makes a good story? Common mistakes to avoid when preparing your pitch The right questions to create a successful media strategy How to build a strong relationship with the media For more updates on government communication find contentgroup on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Damian Carmichael is from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science and leading in the development of a framework that will change how the Australian Government operates. Supporting the 2016-2018 and 2018-2020 Open Government National Plan, his role is to design and implement tools that will enhance public engagement and participation in policy development and delivery. According to Damian, step one was to understand what problems that currently underly the Australian Government. His advice for such a large task? Google it. Find the experts of the field, find the papers that explore these problems and track these changes over time. What Damian and his team found was the growing complexity in Australia’s political landscape specifically in policy and trust. So, what has Damian done to combat this? Find out in this week’s episode as David explores his four-step approach to engage citizens. Discussed in this episode: The importance of initial research Looking to local and state level governments to fin

In 2015 Peter Timmins led the establishment of the Australian Open Government Partnership Network, an organisation designed to assist the government in their approach to open governance. As part of the multilateral Open Government Partnership, Peter shares with us behind-the-scenes of our involvement with the partnership and Australia’s open government future. With a career spanning close to 30 years as a freedom of information lawyer, Peter has played significant roles in assisting government departments, both state and federal, in law and policy. These efforts were recognised in 2017 and was awarded the Press Freedom Medal by the Australian Press Council. Discussed in this episode: The history of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and how Australia became involved What the OGP is aiming to achieve and how Australia is moving towards those goals The direction Australia is taking and shortcomings in our approach How we can perfect this approach and using champions to do so The use of storytelling to engag

Our rebranded GovComms podcast has launched and now's the time to share what's in store for you, the listener. In this episode your host, David Pembroke, tells the story of contentgroup. Our Story. From small beginnings, David shares how contentgroup took an idea and created a thriving government communication hub that serves municipal, state and federal governments, as well as governments worldwide. Discussed in this episode: How did we get here? From political journalism and a spark of an idea to a thriving communications agency. What differentiates us at contentgroup and how our level of excellence in creating compelling content serves government agencies and departments. Ways we can help you deliver a successful communication strategy that connects you with your citizens and community. What our dedicated team of professionals are delivering to meet your objectives and requirements. Big plans. What we are working on now and for the future.   Be sure to subscribe to GovComms, so you catch all our new epis

Our InTransition Podcast has been sharing insights and innovations in government communication with global audiences since 2015. In this episode your host, David Pembroke, shares some exciting news about the growth of the InTransition podcast. We've had a makeover and it's not just cosmetic. You'll hear a little about why we rebranded and the exciting changes in store for future episodes. Previous episodes from InTransition are archived and still available for you to listen to. Be sure to subscribe to GovComms, so you catch all our new episodes.     Find contentgroup on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Read more about best industry practices from our blog and weekly newsletter.

On the podcast this week we talk to Mike Pritchett, CEO and co-founder of Shootsta, a video production agency in Sydney. Designed to empower brands and agencies to produce high-quality video, Shootsta supplies clients with an all-in-one visual studio in a single hard case and offers a 24-hour turnover. Understanding the importance of delivering consistent and timely content, Mike shares with David the value of video production in 2018 and the power it has to connect brands with their audience. With humble beginnings in Sydney, Shootsta is slowly taking over the world with a presence in Southeast Asia, North America and Europe. It’s no secret anymore that video is the future of marketing and Shootsta has taken a complex idea and simplified it. Learn more! Discussed in this episode: What is Shootsta and why is it important The future of video production The role of video to connect brands and agencies with their audience While attention spans get smaller, video can only become more influential Reasons to consi

After recently celebrating Open Gov Week 2018 we thought we’d revisit this episode with Helen Owen, the then Principle Advisor on Public Data Policy at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Helen shares with David the importance of Australia joining the Open Government Partnership and what it means for citizens. Aiming to connect governments with their citizens, it’s a tool necessary to increase transparency, fight corruption and harness new technologies to increase efficiency. Discussed in this episode: How the Open Government Partnership increases stakeholder engagement Involving policymakers in open governance Managing citizen expectations and increasing participation The Open Government Partnership and their presence overseas The open data agenda and what it means for freedom of information

In the world of communication, there’s one rivalry bigger than them all: internal vs external communication. The common belief is that external is superior simply because it’s what you use to communicate with your audience. But something we often forget is the crucial role internal plays. It may not be pleasing your audience, and instead gratifying your staff. This week we talk with Kate Powl, Communications Manager at Data61. As a young agency attached to the CSIRO, Kate’s role has been to build a strong team internally to ensure a strong external presence. When your team is organised on the inside, the external output improves. Discussed in this episode: Storytelling through data and building Data61’s narrative Building a strong audience though a young agency The importance of incorporating digital and data experts into your teams How crucial internal communications is for strong external results Internal communications, more than just house keeping  

Public participation (P2) is a core principle of contemporary politics and policy and is used to involve people and communities in problem-solving and decision-making discussions. In order to understand the importance of P2, we talk with Kylie Cochrane this week on the role it plays in infrastructure projects, the future of P2 in the digital age and ways governments can do public participation effectively. Both an International Board Member for the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) and the Global Lead for Communication and Stakeholder Engagement at Aurecon, Kylie is a bit of a rock star in the world of public participation. Discussed in this episode: Social Triangle Theory at the heart of infrastructure projects Trust decreasing in Australia and how public participation can save it Building a community and making them stay Effectively using storytelling and creating a strong narrative The future of IAP2 Australasia working with the United Nations Find contentgroup on Facebook, LinkedI

Originally nicknamed the ‘Hay Capital of the World’, the City of Gilbert is now a leading example of what it means for a government to go digital. Wanting to engage their residents, they struck gold finding one crucial aspect of their demographic – the average age of Gilbert is 32. Why is that important? Well, because they’re young and digitally aware. Dana Berchman, Chief Digital Officer for the City of Gilbert, attributes this one factor to the success of Gilbert’s digital transition. Understanding where her audience was lead to using resources in a more efficient, measurable way and increased government transparency. The City of Gilbert now boasts over 25 channels across all major platforms and over the last five years has even reached viral success. By giving her residents the ability to directly contact their government for news and updates has been a major success and an example of effective government communications. Listen to David and Dana go into great detail of how the City of Gilbert turned into a

Rachael Sweeney is the Director of Collective Position, a boutique communications agency that specialises in stakeholder engagement. Collective Position pride themselves on bringing clients closer together. With her extensive experience in the field, hear Rachael and David discuss the importance of stakeholder engagement and how you can build your own skills today. Collective Position has worked with local governments across Australia as well as Wine Victoria. Rachael studied public relations with a politics major at Deakin University before starting a career in government and stakeholder relations, working on two major rail infrastructure projects in Victoria. Discussed in this podcast: Perfecting government communications How to find stakeholders and mapping their influence Transparency with antagonistic stakeholders Tips on delivering information Managing the consultation process Getting the public’s attention early with content Find contentgroup on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Read more about best in

Lisa Ronson is the Chief Marketing Officer at Tourism Australia. With extensive history in marketing, Lisa brought a unique approach to her position after working alongside national and international brands. This includes Carlton & United Breweries, Visa, David Jones and Westpac. At the start of the year, Tourism Australia disguised a movie trailer for a Crocodile Dundee reboot as the launch for the next tourism campaign. Aiming to target high-end consumers in the USA, Lisa takes us behind the scenes of getting the $36m project off the ground and what the future holds for Brian Dundee. Discussed in this episode: National branding and marketing Australia Value behind building personas Tracking audiences and putting them at the heart of planning Tourism Australia shifting focus from southeast Asia consumers to US The results of the campaign – 250,000 mentions on social media, and more What happens next to Brian Dundee Watch the trailer here. And watch the ad here. Find contentgroup on Facebook, LinkedIn 

Martyn Wallace is the Chief Digital Officer for the Scottish Local Government Digital Office, aiming to assist local Scottish Governments in their digital transformation. Similar to what the DTA is doing nationally in Australia, SLGDO seeks to do the same but for regional and rural Scottish councils and citizens. In this episode of InTransition, Martyn speaks with David about the challenges of coordinating change across multiple local government bodies and the importance of continuing to move forward digitally to engage and inform citizens. Noting the negatives we have seen when private companies have not embraced the digital transition (Woolworths UK, Blockbuster etc.), Martyn discusses the role digital media plays in connecting citizens with their government, especially those outside major cities. Discussed in this episode: The growing need for government communications Using digital media to connect citizens with their governments Convincing local governments the importance of going digital What happens w

Amelia Loye is the Founder and Managing Director of engage2, an organisation aiming to "help governments understand and engage with people and organisations in their community." At times, it’s hard to trust all the information we’re fed which is where Amelia's role of building trust between governments and communities comes in. Hear Amelia discuss with David how open data and “data from [the] community” are important ways to help shape and design government services and policies. At the heart of her work is building trust and reliability among all stakeholders. Discussed in this episode: The Open Government movement The expectation of transparency in today’s political climate Making information more accessible to the public Using creative treatments to engage Reaching people “where they are” What skills are needed to reach citizens Campaigns vs conversations How to get your management’s support Data about community, and data from community Distributing data to the broader government Building trust: change th

This week we bring you a special episode of InTransition, a one-on-one discussion with Genevieve Bell, cultural anthropologist and leading expert in artificial intelligence. Following her PhD in anthropology from Stanford University in 1998, Genevieve was offered a job at Intel through a chance meeting with a man in a bar at Palo Alto in 1998. This man in question had contacts at Intel who were busy setting up a social science research lab at the time and Genevieve was introduced to the world of anthropology in the high-tech industry. While Genevieve initially turned down this offer, as she was on track for tenure at Stanford, she later accepted. With a career spanning 20 years, Genevieve is now back in Canberra as a professor at the Australian National University. She has founded the Autonomy, Agency and Assurance Institute (3Ai), seeking to advance Australia’s knowledge of artificial intelligence and its role in the future. Discussed in this episode: Genevieve’s humble beginnings on anthropology sites arou

What do you do when a reality TV show takes the name of your town and uses it in a not-so savoury comment? Steer into the mess and use it as free publicity (and make the most of a Taylor Swift.gif). Shannah Hayley, Director of Marketing and Community Engagement for the city of Plano, TX, found this tactic useful in 2016 when a cast member of the Real Housewives of Dallas compared the city to an uncomfortable conversation. Knowing all eyes were on her, she used the opportunity to raise awareness for Plano, turning "it's a little Plano in here" into part of a clever marketing campaign. Hear David and Shannah discuss how local governments can benefit from such events and how content marketing can be used to increase social awareness for government. Find contentgroup on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Read more about best industry practices from our blog and weekly newsletter.