Campaigns & Communications Group

Campaigns & Communications Group[1] is an Australian company founded by Bruce Hawker as a specialised election campaign and communications advisory firm in 2011.[2] He was formerly Chairman and co-founder of the government relations and lobbying firm Hawker Britton, established with David Britton in 1997.[3][4] Hawker is aligned with the Australian Labor Party, and he has worked as a campaign strategist and adviser on more than 30 State, Federal and Australian territory election campaigns.[5]

Bruce Hawker

Bruce Hawker is a leading political strategist and commentator and chairman of Campaigns and Communications Group.[1] Before this, Hawker was Chief of Staff to former New South Wales Premier Bob Carr MP from 1995 to 1997 and Chief of Staff to Bob Carr MP while he was Leader of the Opposition in NSW from 1989 to 1995.[3][4][6]

In 2008, Hawker was named by The Sydney Morning Herald as one of Sydney's most influential people.[7] In 2011, The Sydney Morning Herald nominated Hawker in its “50 most powerful people” as one of the top five political powerbrokers.[8] Bruce Hawker was described in 2010 by the Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, as a “wise elder” of the Australian Labor Party.[9] Hawker has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Queensland and a Law degree from the University of New South Wales.[10]

In June 2013, Hawker was appointed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Political Adviser, a position he held until the Government's defeat in the 2013 Australian federal election in September 2013.[11] Following the election, Melbourne University Publishing published his campaign diaries, The Rudd Rebellion: The Campaign to Save Labor.[12]

Hawker is a regular contributor to the media, writing opinion pieces and editorials for The Sydney Morning Herald and frequently appearing in interviews on Sky News and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.[3] When it was suggested that he was resigning from Hawker Britton due to the thinning out of state Labor governments, Hawker dismissed these suggestions saying, "We've always worked on the basis that Labor governments will come and Labor governments will go, we've always tried to assist in the election of Labor governments, but we are realistic and pragmatic enough to understand no government lasts forever."[13]

Political Work

In the Wran-Unsworth Government, Hawker was a senior advisor to Frank Walker, Attorney-General and Minister for Housing from 1982 to 1988.[14] From 1988 to 1997, Hawker was Chief of Staff to Bob Carr MP while Carr was Opposition Leader from 1988 to 1995 and Premier from 1995 to 1997.[15] While Labor was in Opposition in New South Wales under Carr, Hawker is credited with uncovering many scandals of the Greiner Fahey period including the Community Polling affair, a covert Liberal fundraising operation which funded phoney independent candidates in the 1988 State election.[16] Hawker is also credited with uncovering scandals and controversies involving former Coalition MPs including Wal Murray, Matt Singleton, Phillip Smiles, Tony Packard, Neil Pickard and Barry Morris.[17] These and other controversies became part of Labor's campaign against the NSW Coalition Government and contributed significantly to Labor winning office in 1995.[18] In 1997, Hawker and David Britton resigned from their positions as Chief of Staff and Chief of Communications, respectively, to start Hawker Britton.[19] When asked to comment about Hawker's resignation, Bob Carr joked, "After all nine years is a long time to spend in a political office."[19] Hawker has had a central role in Labor Party campaigns in all States, the Northern Territory and the Commonwealth, since 1997. Between 1998 and 2007 the Labor Party won every State and Territory election it contested.[20] Hawker was at the centre of a decade of success for Labor in State and Territory elections.[21] Between 1998 and 2007 Labor won every State and Territory election it contested.[5] Hawker has also provided advice on campaigns in Greece and New Zealand.[22] Columnist Piers Akerman described Hawker's role in this way: “This model, labelled the Hawker Britton approach by some conservatives, was first trialled successfully by the young Bruce Hawker when he was former NSW premier Bob Carr’s chief of staff. It has been adopted by Labor in every state and federally since Hawker, and Carr’s former senior adviser David Britton, left Carr’s office in 1997 to form the eponymous political consultancy”.[23] The columnist criticised the approach in these terms: “The Hawker Britton approach is about spin, not substance”.[24] Hawker has been referred to as a stalwart of Labor campaigning and described by former South Australian Premier, Mike Rann as “the greatest political strategist in Australia.” [25] When he was Health Minister, current Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott described Hawker and Hawker Britton as “dirty tricks merchants” ”,[26] while former Prime Minister John Howard compared Hawker Britton to Liberal Party strategists Crosby Textor, saying “Hawker Britton would leave them (Crosby Textor) for dead.” [27]

Recent political work

After the 2010 Australian federal elections, a hung parliament resulted. Hawker led the negotiations on behalf of Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Labor Party with the independent members of parliament Bob Katter, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott which secured the incumbent Labor government a second term in office.[28]

In its assessment of the process which saw Labor returned to power in 2010, The Age newspaper said Hawker was the official point man during Rob Oakeshott's drafting of reforms to parliamentary process.[29] The Age reported that in the negotiations, Hawker was “an effective behind-the-scenes hub” for Labor.[30] The newspaper also reported that Hawker “has made a professional lifetime of being the man in the room – and his long investment in moving, cajoling, strategising and shaking in professional politics and beyond paid dividends for the ALP in a very dark hour.” [31] Hawker's involvement was said to cause “disquiet” amongst Liberal ranks[32] with claims that the independent MPs had been “manipulated by the ALP’s strategic mastermind”.[33] When agreement was finally struck between Labor and the independents, The Daily Telegraph reported that “Hawker is now being hailed within Labor circles as the man who won Labor back the election.”[34] In February 2012, Hawker backed former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in his unsuccessful bid for the Labor leadership.[35]

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-10-29. Retrieved 2019-10-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Kelly, Joe (2011-01-07). "Independents to discuss Cabinet reform with Labor strategist Bruce Hawker | The Australian". The Australian. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
  3. "Bruce Hawker — The Drum Opinion (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2011-04-01. Retrieved 2011-04-22.
  4. Kelly, Joe (2011-01-07). "Labor PR guru Bruce Hawker spins off to new campaign venture | The Australian". The Australian. Retrieved 2011-04-22.
  5. "Federal Election Dates and Outcomes". Retrieved 2011-12-11.; List of New South Wales legislative elections; List of Northern Territory general elections; List of elections in South Australia; List of elections in Victoria; Elections in Tasmania; Elections in Western Australia; Elections in the Australian Capital Territory
  6. English, Ben. "Carr's top two advisers resign" (PDF). The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-04-22.
  7. "the (sydney) magazine". The Sydney Morning Herald. December 2010. Archived from the original on 2006-07-16.
  8. The Sydney Morning Herald, 23 July 2011
  9. Franklin, Matthew (2010-08-25). "Key MPs name price for power | The Australian". The Australian. Retrieved 2011-11-23.
  10. "Hawker Britton — Government Relations, Government Lobbying, Lobbyists, Campaigns, Strategies Consultancy". Archived from the original on 2011-02-15. Retrieved 2011-04-22.; "Q&A, ABC TV". Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  11. Kelly, Joe (28 June 2013). "Bruce Hawker in Strategy Hot Seat | The Australian". The Australian. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  12. MUP (5 November 2013). "The Rudd Rebellion | MUP". Melbourne University Publishing. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  13. Salusinszky, Imre (30 November 2010). "Lobbying founder Bruce Hawker branches out on his own | The Australian". The Australian. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  14. Who’s Who 2012, Crown Content p.1029
  15. Marilyn Dodkin, ‘Bob Carr: The Reluctant Leader’, Sydney, UNSW Press, 2003, pp.11, 155
  16. Marilyn Dodkin, ‘Bob Carr: The Reluctant Leader’, Sydney, UNSW Press, 2003, pp23-24
  17. Marilyn Dodkin, ‘Bob Carr: The Reluctant Leader’, Sydney, UNSW Press, 2003, pp23, 24, 51, 92, 97, 105
  18. Marilyn Dodkin, ‘Bob Carr: The Reluctant Leader’, Sydney, UNSW Press, 2003, pp112-116, 119-122
  19. Nason, David. "Senior staffers quit Carr office" (PDF). The Australian. Retrieved 2011-04-22.
  20. "Q&A, ABC TV". Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-04-21. Retrieved 2012-10-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. Sky News, PM Agenda, Mon 21 November 2011
  23. Akerman, Piers (2008-09-28). "Tide turns on Labor's politics of spin | The Daily Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-11-15.
  24. Akerman, Piers (2008-09-28). "Tide turns on Labor's politics of spin | The Daily Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-11-15.
  25. Van Onselen, Peter (2010-03-22). "Secrets of the unlikely victory | The Australian". The Australian. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
  26. Hansard, House of Representative, 20 June 2007 http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr200607.pdf
  27. Hansard, House of Representatives, 7 August 2007 http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/2007-08-07/0052/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf
  28. "Independents to discuss Cabinet reform with Labor strategist Bruce Hawker | News.com.au". News.com.au. 2010-08-26. Retrieved 2011-04-22.; "Labor to form government". ninemsn.com.au. 2010-09-07. Archived from the original on 2010-09-11. Retrieved 2011-04-23.; Benson, Simon (2010-09-09). "Cajoling, strategising paid dividends for ALP | The Australian". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  29. Murphy, Katharine (2010-09-08). "Cajoling, strategising paid dividends for ALP | The Age". The Age. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  30. Murphy, Katharine (2010-09-08). "Cajoling, strategising paid dividends for ALP | The Age". The Age. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  31. Murphy, Katharine (2010-09-08). "Cajoling, strategising paid dividends for ALP | The Age". The Age. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  32. Massola, James (2010-09-02). "Coalition doubts grow over deal with key independents to form minority government| The Australian". The Australian. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  33. Akerman, Piers (2010-08-27). "Maverick three fall for Labor's spin doctor | The Daily Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  34. Benson, Simon (2010-09-09). "Cajoling, strategising paid dividends for ALP | The Australian". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  35. staff (2012-02-22). "Labor Strategist Bruce Hawker says Kevin Rudd will Contest the Labor Leadership | The Daily Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 2012-05-09.


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