Bruce Hawker is a leading campaign manager with 30 years experience advising leaders in business and politics. As MD of Campaigns & Communications, Bruce manages crises and plans and executes communications campaigns.
This op-ed originally appeared in today's Australian.
One of my favourite films is Cool Hand Luke. In it Paul Newman plays a prisoner who refuses to submit to the brutal regime imposed by the prison's governor.
In one scene Luke is in a chain gang. His guard tells him that [...]
This article was originally posted on The Drum.
Time and again Federal Labor loses the day because it fails to make a case for its reforms. When this happens it is left looking disorganised and weak.
The latest example of this failure to formulate a plan and execute a strategy is the furore over Stephen Conroy's proposal for media regulation.
The Public Interest [...]
This op-ed originally appeared in today's Australian
The Australian Institute of Company Directors ("Bring business into cabinet", The Australian, December 27) has made a welcome entry into the debate about how cabinets should be formed in Australia. Their call for constitutional changes to allow a broader representation in [...]
This op-ed was originally published in The Australian.
Last week in Rome I attended a conference of progressive political parties.
It was hosted by the Italian Democratic Party, which is now the most popular party in Italy following the political demise of Silvio Berlusconi. [...]
American news bulletins invariably carry a story about US troops being deployed to some trouble spot.
On a stopover in Hawaii yesterday I was watching the local TV news. It included a story about an Hawaii based US brigade about to be deployed overseas. What caught my attention was the fact that this 200 strong contingent of marines - an advance guard for a force of 2,500 soldiers - was heading to...Darwin.
The story candidly described how this military [...]
Jeff Kennett's seven year old Liberal Government looked to be in no trouble going into the 1999 Victorian State election.
At the beginning of the campaign opinion polls had the Liberals ahead by 51 to 35%. It also held 58 of the 88 seats in the Victorian Parliament.
Labor had been decimated at the elections in 1992 and despite some massive Budget cuts over several years, Kennett looked set for a comfortable third term as Premier.
Labor's defeat [...]
Over the last week a number of politicians have attacked me for my public support for Kevin Rudd.
Their main point seemed to be that it was none of my business to become involved in a caucus battle. Well I beg to differ. First, I've been a member of the ALP since 1978. Second, I have worked on more than 30 state, territory and federal campaigns for the ALP - most of them successful. I believe it is every party member's business and every one of them should have their say.
› more
There’s been quite a lot of interest in my blog about Graham Freudenberg and the much publicised photo of Whitlam and Calwell waiting outside the Kingston hotel in 1963.
Stephen Holt recently co-authored with Ross Fitzgerald a book on Alan Reid, the famous Canberra correspondent for Frank Packer’s Daily Telegraph. It was [...]
This article was originally posted on The Drum.
Last week I had lunch with Graham Freudenberg. Few speechwriters rise above the necessary anonymity of their craft - Freudy is a notable exception.
Apart from being, in my view, Australia's greatest speechwriter, he is also a walking encyclopedia of post-war Labor history. He has been close to the centre of many great and sometimes devastating [...]
This op-ed was originally posted in today's Sydney Morning Herald and coincides with the ALP national conference.
Fifty per cent of the delegates at this year's
› more
follow
Abbott's plan: a tax to pay for paid parental leave, deferred super benefits and then a GST hike. But miners and big polluters don't pay.
19 May 2013 04:31:17RT @Jackthelad1947: Shooting Accident in national park triggers calls to improve hunt safety. #auspol It was only a matter of time. http:/…
18 May 2013 21:21:02@Karratha_WA The GST is unfair as everyone pays the 10% regardless of their income. Gina Rhinehart pays the same for goods as a pensioner.
18 May 2013 01:56:53