Let’s define a campaign as a coherent program of activity sustained over time to achieve a clear objective. The critical success factor is to always to secure some modification of behaviour in the target Minister. A nasty regulation modified. A government subsidy struck. A corrupt overseas regime snubbed. A malign piece of policy obliterated.
There is, you need to understand, a characteristic response cycle among Ministers. They would prefer you did not task them in this way. They, and the serious bureaucrats who surround them, do not require your, er, input. They feel capable and in control and undeserving of your advice.
Their well-established response cycle is designed, not to mince words, to repel the thrust of your approach.
So, if your persuasion is not to prove fruitless, you must recognise that to achieve your public policy objectives you must campaign with shrewdness and persistence.
Here are some tips.
Stage 1 – Adjournment
You make your approach. You are led fashionably late into a large office. The Minister is surrounded by cunning looks in expensive suits. Business is conducted with consummate politeness. You get a fair hearing and fine sentiments. Good will is expressed. There is ostensible agreement about the issue. At the end of the meeting you are told the office door is always open. You go away satisfied. Nothing happens.
So you move to the next stage…
Stage 2 – Assertion
You take up the matter again. In return, good will is reinforced but the Minister points out SUDs - significant underlying difficulties (tough budget!). You are allowed to feel close to the political process, almost an insider. And you are encouraged to take an insider’s view of the inordinate difficulties involved. Reciprocal demands are made of you. You go away feeling you have a closer understanding of the political difficulties. You are hopeful there is a better understanding of your position. There is still no progress.
So you begin a more active, public campaign…
Stage 3 – Aggression
The campaign having resonated somewhat and achieved some signs of political discomfort, you pursue the matter further with the Minister. Courteous dismissal has now transformed to contained aggression.
Tempers may fray, cooperation may be denied and threats may be intimated as a major effort is made to repel you. There is hope that intransigence may coerce you into giving up the campaign on the grounds it will serve no useful purpose other than to aggravate. Bureaucrats smile at you sympathetically. In their eyes is a ‘remember there’s always a next time and we have long memories’. You avow the pressure will be maintained. There is a Mexican stand-off.
So you step up the campaign – heavy duty media, briefings of opposition, engagement of allies, rallies outside Old Parliament House…
Stage 4 – Aggrandisement
You are campaigning vigorously in public now. The campaign is beginning to bite. Influential elements of the media (Alan Jones) are on side and in full lecture mode. The Minister is starting to realise that what you are doing may be damaging their political prospects.
They know they must deal with you substantively. Polite charm and serious nods from officials are back on the agenda. The political goal, however, is little changed - to undermine your traction. Or at least to come to an accommodation that does not much inconvenience the party line.
You get the feeling you’re making progress but you are, rightfully by now, deeply suspicious. You campaign even more energetically while displaying much charm behind closed doors.
So the call comes from the Minister…
Stage 5 – Accommodation
Realising that political damage is being caused, or is likely to eventuate, there develops in the politicians a willingness to negotiate. The Minister greets you as an old friend.
The bureaucrats are now not looking you in the eye. After some give and take, mutual agreement is reached. You are winning but you are not yet there. Nothing’s in writing.
You ask for it…
Stage 6 – Abdication
In this stage your political PR campaign has taken hostages. Now seriously concerned at the political damage being caused (Telegraph and Herald-Sun editorials, rowdy Question Times), the politician abdicates to provide you with some success on your main objective. It has been a long hard fight. But you got there.
