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Translating policy is more important than ever
Read more: Translating policy is more important than everHave we forgotten how to connect to shared values? This month I had the lovely experience of running a media training session with the Australia Awards fellows for Melbourne Climate Futures – policy makers from across the Pacific and the Bahamas doing amazing things across health, environment, worker safety, food security and more. Emma Sharp…
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We’re being silo’ed and isolated by design – but collaborating is the cure
Read more: We’re being silo’ed and isolated by design – but collaborating is the cure2025 was quite the year for me – new business, new jobs and getting back on the road across Australia. I met lots of people doing really outstanding work in broadcasting, community services, science, tech, policy, environment and advocacy – I’m really blessed that I get to work with people across so many fields and…
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How do we do comms when there’s no money?
Read more: How do we do comms when there’s no money?I’ve had a lovely couple of months travelling around Australia working at conferences, running workshops and hunting around for great stories. At one of these conferences (The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia conference in Hobart) I was asked to speak on a panel about how non-profits can stand out when they don’t necessarily have big…
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Can we rely on Big Tech in comms?
Read more: Can we rely on Big Tech in comms?A few years back I discovered an amazing tool launched by Dropbox – Dropbox Showcase. I was working in a very busy Media/PR job at the time and the tool was perfect for what we needed. We could quickly and easily upload videos, photos and content for our media colleagues to use in an attractive…
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Saving my bum when the tech goes wrong
Read more: Saving my bum when the tech goes wrongEvery comms person has experienced the dread of losing an important file at the worst time – bad sound, a corrupt memory card, a broken cable or unexpected device damage in the field. As a small business owner and non-profit comms consultant I don’t have the budget for the most expensive, most complicated set-up. I…
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Is it ever really worth going on the attack?
Read more: Is it ever really worth going on the attack?One of the most important things a comms professional can do is to be a calming influence when a crisis hits. Today we’ve seen a perfect example of what not to do when your organisation faces criticism or backlash. When Australian consumer group CHOICE published lab tests of popular sunscreens and found that a sunscreen…
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Your comms KPIs are probably crap (and killing your creativity)
Read more: Your comms KPIs are probably crap (and killing your creativity)KPIs are eating your braaaaaaiiiiiiins Have we lost the art of creating things with intention? Or hear me out *gasp* for fun? I see so many people and organisations feeling pressure to pump out content on a daily, weekly, monthly basis – all tightly algorithmed and templated and KPI’ed to grow “audience”. I’ve lived it…
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Why my most important interviews have never been published
Read more: Why my most important interviews have never been publishedI have dozens of interviews sitting on hard drives that I know I’ll never use. Yep. I lugged the cameras, microphones, lighting and a kazillion cables (techies I apologise for the state of my cable bag) – often travelled and spent hours with interview subjects, knowing the footage will never see the light of day.…