Domestic Governance as Public Relations

Question 1

What is the relationship between governing and politics?

Answer 1

• Government advertising used to be used for routine advertising: job vacancies, government contracts
• 1970s began large-scale advertising campaigns for the purposes of ‘social marketing’ to improve citizens health and safety
• i.e. Changed to a proactive communication stance in regards to particular issues
• But what is government advertising if not propaganda (which has been around for eons)

Question 2

What is acceptable propaganda?

Answer 2

• Governing involves a lot of routine advertising (recruitment, events, consultation), but they must also sometimes advertise to mobilise public action, especially against threats
• We expect propaganda in times of national security of public health need
  
  • But what is national security and public health needs are both constructed
  • To make you shamed, embarrassed, enthuse, convince etc.

Question 3

What is government advertising?q

Answer 3

• Government watermark?
• Aus: Government, parties, lobby and other interest groups all undertake political advertising - no distinction
• “there is no government-wide definition of what constitutes advertising and there is not central authority to which agencies are required to report advertising expenses”: USA
• Oversight is generally restricted to ministerial sign-off or post-hoc

Question 4

What are the normative implications of domestic governance as public relations?

Answer 4

• Massive incumbency effects
• Legitimacy of expenditure
• Trust in government/parliament
• How to police judgement along a spectrum?
  
  • Re-engage the ANAO (i.e another government department)
  • Ad hoc reviews? (i.e. audit office review of previous government’s ad expenditure)
  • Independent committee? (no desire)
  • Nothing?

Question 5

What are the information campaign effects cases?

Answer 5

• Higher education reforms 2014-2015
  
  • “Raising awareness”
  • Really framed the government in a generous light to lessen dissatisfaction over reduction in Gov’t subsidies
• Border Force Campaign 2014
  
  • “Change attitudes”
  • Frames Australia as unappealing
  • Ran in Australia - in English
• Intergenerational Report 2015
  
  • “Inform the community”
  • Frames the situation however they want

Question 6

What are the considerations of information campaign effects?

Answer 6

• Governments stated vs actual intention
• What does the way they are evaluated tell us?
• What is the line between governing and ‘doing politics’? Grey area
• ‘Unofficial’ campaigns?