GovComms: The Future of Government Communication

In this episode of GovComms, we continue our conversation with Bevan Hannan, General Manager of the Communications Division at Services Australia.Bevan delves into the complexities of government communication, drawing on his extensive experience to explore how crises like the Bali bombings have shaped public narratives and the role of media in managing these narratives.Bevan reflects on the human aspects of communications and shares lessons learned from coordinating the government's response and supporting affected families. He explains how he strategically used media to maintain control over the public discourse and ensure sensitive handling of the aftermath.The conversation also ventures into the future of communication in public service, particularly the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Bevan discusses the potential for AI to enhance service delivery and improve the accessibility and efficiency of government communications.The episode takes a reflective turn as he addresses the Robodebt scandal, considering its impact on public trust and the essential role of integrity in government communications.Follow GovComms Podcast on LinkedIn

In this episode of the GovComms Podcast, we are joined by Bevan Hannan, General Manager of the Communications Division at Services Australia.Bevan shares insights into the nuances of crisis communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, and outlines the strategies and technologies employed by Services Australia to manage public information needs effectively.Bevan also discusses the challenges and strategies of maintaining team dynamics in a remote and hybrid work settings, and emphasises the importance of a supportive and collaborative culture. He highlights how his team adapted to ensure productivity and engagement despite the distance.Furthermore, Bevan explores the significant role of government spokespeople in delivering complex information to the public. He stresses the importance of trusted, non-political figures in building public trust and ensuring clear communication from the government.Discussed in this episode:Impact of mentorship and networking in Bevan's early career development.Bevan's lessons from transitioning from sports journalism to the public service.Balancing between in-person and remote work for team effectiveness.Evolution of government communication practices pre and post-COVID.Follow GovComms Podcast on LinkedIn

In this episode of GovComms, we are joined once again by Stephanie Speck, who is now the Head of Communications for the Green Climate Fund, for a conversation focusing on effective climate change communication.With extensive experience in public sector communication globally, Stephanie shares insights into empowering climate-impacted communities to tell their authentic stories through "Story Sovereignty." This approach humanises climate change and grounds narratives in real-life experiences.Stephanie also delves into the strategic evolution of the Green Climate Fund's communication, moving from output-focused tactics to strategies that prioritise reputation, return on investment, and relationship building, aiming to enhance global impact and drive effective climate action.The conversation explores the challenge of misinformation in climate discourse, with Stephanie highlighting strategies to counter false narratives and the emphasising the importance of accurate communication in building trust and consensus on climate issues.Follow GovComms Podcast on LinkedIn

This time on GovComms we are joined by Andrea Garcia, a communication professional with over 15 years’ experience working for various organisations.Andrea shares her stories working in UNICEF, Weber Shandwick and the New York State Court System in the United States and the Canberra Light Rail project, Museum of Australian Democracy (MOAD), and the Canberra Institute of Technology in Canberra, Australia.Discussed in this episode:Andrea's work across various sectors, including government, non-profit, and private sectors.The importance and strategies of stakeholder engagement and community consultationThe role of integrated marketing communications in effectively disseminating information and engaging with diverse audiences.The transition from working in high-profile, private sector roles to more community-focused, public sector positions.Follow GovComms Podcast on LinkedIn

In this episode of GovComms Podcast, we are joined by Ruth Dewsbury, a communication strategist with more than 20 years’ experience in government communications in the Australian federal government. Her most recent role was as a Senior Director of Communications at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.Along with host David Pembroke, Ruth reflects on the significant changes in the communication landscape, particularly the shift from traditional methods like typewriters and carbon paper to the digital revolution, which introduced new communication channels and tools, and the impact of the 24-hour news cycle.“Things have changed massively in the whole communications land... Especially with the digital revolution.” – Ruth DewsburyRuth emphasises the need for clear communication objectives by ‘going back to the basics’, and clear outcomes to effectively determine target audiences, messages, and channels.“While there have been massive changes, a lot hasn't changed like the general approach to communications, strategic communications in its entirety hasn't changed, and in some ways, I think there's a real need to get back to basics." – Ruth DewsburyRuth also talks about the unique challenges of communicating about climate change, including dealing with disinformation, engaging diverse audiences, and the importance of addressing climate anxiety, especially among young people.“Disinformation has just gone wild, and different groups in the community are responding in different ways. There's huge climate anxiety with young people, in particular, something like 67% of young people think." – Ruth DewsburyTune in to gain insights into gathering authentic stories to make government communications more relatable and effective, and more.Show notes:Ruth Dewsbury | LinkedInFollow GovComms Podcast on LinkedIn

GovComms Podcast is back with brand new episodes.Our first episode of the season welcomes back Alex Aiken, the Executive Director for Government Communications in the UK, who was our very first guest when the podcast debuted in 2015 as the 'InTransition Podcast'. The landscape of government communication has evolved since then, and this episode dives into the latest developments.Host David Pembroke and Alex Aiken explore the collaborative efforts between the UK Government Communication Service (GCS) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Alex sheds light on the OECD's role in auditing and evaluating the UK's government communication practices, sharing insights into the process.“One of the things that the OECD asked us to do was submit UK Government Communications to a what they call a country scan. What they really mean is an audit of UK Government Communications and the report we published next month early in February. Now that takes a degree of courage.” – Alex AikenThe episode also delves into the UK Government's communication response to the war in Ukraine.“When it was inevitable that the Russians were set to invade then we set up what we call the Government Information Cell. This was to bring together all the specialists that you need to deliver modern high volume communications into one place so we could have a fast, coordinated, and effective UK Government Communications response.” – Alex AikenIn a world where disinformation is rampant and synthetic media is an emerging threat, Alex emphasises the importance of compelling storytelling.“I think that the absolutely central point is unless you can tell your story brilliantly, you will fall victim to disinformation. On the 24th of February 2022, I listened to Boris Johnson thinking through the challenges we faced... 'Putin must fail.' That is our policy. Putin must fail." And that in a sense is a story that we told then and a story we're telling now"​ – Alex AikenFurthermore, Alex discusses the potential of artificial intelligence, and how the UK government seeks to use it as a ‘force for good’.“The London Summit recently had a whole range of countries around the world looking at the threats but also the opportunities. As the Government Communication Service, we are seeking to bring together all the plans, the strategies, the knowledge that we have and create a large language model where we can plug all that in" – Alex AikenTune in to gain insights into the UK Government’s strategic communication frameworks, such as OASIS and PITCH, and much more.Discussed in this episode:The evolving role of government communication.Impact of technology and the challenge of mis- and disinformation.OECD's involvement in government communication.UK Government’s strategic frameworks: OASIS and PITCH.The importance of international collaboration.Show notes:Guide to campaign planning: OASIS | Government Communication ServiceLaunch of PITCH: a strategic communication tool | Government Communication ServiceFollow GovComms Podcast on LinkedIn

This week's episode marks the final episode of Govcomms 'From the Vault'. In this episode, host and CEO of contentgroup, David Pembroke, revisits his conversation with Tim Price, the Acting Director of Strategic Communications and Content at the Australian Federal Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.David begins by exploring where Tim's career began - creating massively successful fan websites for Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Tim explains"when I look back on my career, I was like, 'Well, that's really where it all started'. Back then, there was no such thing as a digital career. There was no such thing as a career in social media. So I travelled the wave of the constantly changing nature of digital and social media and into government as well."The pair discuss the challenges of a new narrowcast world and the importance of building a sense of community no matter the type of communications you are executing. On top of this, the one key takeaway from this episode is the importance of building connections. Tim explains that making connections with individuals throughout your organisation can greatly benefit you when it comes to having a seat at the table from the get-go.Stay tuned for a brand-new Govcomms episode coming Wednesday 7th February.

This week on GovComms 'From the Vault,' we revisit our conversation with a special guest, the CEO of the Open Government Partnership, Sanjay Pradhan.Sanjay joined OGP in May 2016. Prior to joining OGP, he served as the Vice President for Leadership, Learning, and Innovation at the World Bank, as well as the Vice President of the World Bank Institute, and as the Director for Governance.David Pembroke, CEO and Founder of contentgroup, discusses with Sanjay the mission of OGP and its role in addressing governance challenges faced by ordinary citizens. Using three examples from Nigeria, Ukraine, and Costa Rica, Sanjay illustrates the impact of OGP in the real world. The pair explore the true effect OGP has in making governments more transparent, participatory, inclusive, and accountable."When you think of democracy, you think of the ballot box, citizens cast their vote, but all these problems existed beyond the vote. They continue to not get these services. So OGP is a way to indeed focus on the ballot box, but also beyond the ballot box empowering citizens to shape and oversee their government every year, every day, not just once in a few years when we cast our precious vote. "They also delve into how digital technology has influenced the transparency of governments and how OGP can counter the rise of authoritarianism by tackling both domestic and external drivers.Topics discussed in this episode include:Building citizens' trustInclusion of marginalized groupsTaking democracy beyond the ballot box.

This week on Govcomms 'From the Vault', we revisit our conversation with Osama Saeed Bhutta, who is currently the Director of Communications, Policy & Campaigns at Shelter UK. At the time of this conversation, he was the Director of Communications at Amnesty International.Osama started out as a volunteer organiser and press officer for the Stop the War movement in the UK, which later landed him a position with the Scottish National Party as a media and research officer.Fast forward a decade and a remarkable career with news organisation Al Jazeera. His role at Amnesty International was to unite and mobilise the world against ever worsening humanitarian crises, widening gaps in wealth, education and equality and more refugees than ever before in the history of the world. Along with host David Pembroke, Osama discussed the intersection of public relations and government communications, exploring how effective communication strategies can help build trust, credibility, and support for government initiatives.“When you’re trying to get into people’s hearts, that kind of fact-based approach, which has historically been the approach of NGOs, is less successful, and at the moment, we are being eaten for breakfast as a movement.”Discussed in this episode:When images work against you and disempower your audienceThe problem with highlighting the problemThe need for positive messaging in the harshest timesThe importance of publicising the historicalThe role of the internet in uniting people and the need for people to get out from behind their keyboards.