Tips for meeting with politicians

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Before the meeting

Prepare for the meeting: Brainstorm some questions you would like to ask the politician. You should have a firm idea about what you would like him or her to do. You should also be aware of any remarks the politician might have made publicly about uranium mining or any work he or she has done in the area. Know party policies.

During the meeting

Introduce yourself: Remember that first impressions count. Be conscious of how you present. Most politicians expect a lobbyist to be cordial, informed, serious, reasonable, enthusiastic and confident. Most won’t warm to you if you’re grumpy, noticably tired, argumentative, frank, impolite, patronsing or misinformed. You’re not there to pick a fight, no matter what your views of the politician.

Introduce the problem: Before making any requests, it’s a good idea to spend some time introducing the problem at hand and explaining your role in trying to overcome it. Be sure to praise the politician for any work that his or her party might have done to promote renewables and clean fuels.

Make your requests: You’re a lobbyist, which means that meetings shouldn’t be merely informational. They should be about convincing the politician of the merits of taking tangible steps to support your cause. Some people like to ask for more than they expect to get. You should always be willing to compromise. It’s a
good idea to have both hard and easy asks.

Clarify what is to be done: Before concluding the meeting, re-state what has been agreed to, including any undertakings made by you. If the politician has encouraged you to speak or write to another person, be sure to collect that person’s contact details. Arrange another meeting with the politician if that is needed.

After the meeting

Follow it up: Follow up whether the politician has fulfilled any promises made at the meeting. If he or she hasn’t done so, send a polite reminder letter. Be careful not to hassle, but at the same time don’t allow your good efforts to go to waste simply because you didn’t follow things up. Politicians are busy people and sometimes need reminders.

Making Demands

What influence does the politician have? The politician’s influence will depend on the position that he or she holds. Consider these questions: Is the politician in Government, in Opposition or representing a minor party? Does he or she have any special responsibilities, eg. as a minister or spokesperson for a particular portfolio? How you answer these questions will affect the kinds of demands you make.

No politician is powerless to act: Many politicians, particularly backbenchers, will feel that they are unable to help you in your efforts to promote your agenda. However, all politicians are empowered to use the Parliament as a forum to voice concerns, and all have some influence within their party. If they support your
views, there should be nothing stopping them from helping.

Encourage the politician to use the Parliament to affect change: It’s important if you’re to become an effective lobbyist to know a bit about the procedures of the Parliament. Politicians are able to give adjournment speeches, raise matters of urgency, raise matters of public importance, introduce a motion, table a document, call for a parliamentary inquiry, ask questions without notice, ask questions with notice, introduce a bill, amend a bill and more. Could any of these powers help you?

For more information, go to www. aph.gov.au

Encourage the politician to use the committee system to affect change: Many politicians are heavily involved in parliamentary committee work. Some regard this as their most important function. Committee reports can help to determine Government priorities and positions. Find out which committees, if any, the politician you’re meeting with is involved in, and learn about how they operate. Are there any current inquiries that might allow you to promote your agenda? And are there any inquiries that should be set up?

Encourage the politician to influence party priorities and positions: All politicial parties represented in the Parliament hold party room meetings: At these meetings, parliamentarians have the opportunity to voice their opinions about the party’s priorities and positions. You might request that the politician raise a
particular point about the consequences of expanding Olympic Dam for consideration at the next party room meeting.

Encourage the politician to “adopt the cause”: Politicians have influence beyond the party room and Parliament. This is something that lobbyists too often forget. The politician might be willing to write an
opinion piece about uranium mining for a newspaper, send out a press release, hold a press conference, or include an article in his or her newsletter to constituents. Many have good networks and e-mailing
lists to promote the cause.

General TIPS

1. Silly mistakes can get politicians quickly off side: Politicians will probably become hostile if you attribute to them comments that they never made, if you incorrectly state their party’s position on an issue and if you refuse to give credit where credit is due.
2. Don’t just target politicians who you suspect will be sympathetic: Often lobbyists make the mistake of ignoring politicians who they believe will be unsympathetic to their cause. Many such politicians just need to be reasoned with. Getting them on side, even if not fully, could be very important for your campaign.

 

[adapted from the International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons]