Perhaps the PM and Mal Brough should have tried this strategy.

An email from the Public Relations Institute of Australia has gone out this morning looking for volunteers for “a reserve pool of public relations practitioners… who could assist in a response to a major pest and disease emergency.”

Going by the email, PRIA – who should know about the importance of timing – appears to have pre-empted a ministerial announcement.

Here’s hoping that Minister Peter McGauran is doing the same thing with the scientists.

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) approached the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) in September 2006 with a view to establishing a reserve pool of public relations practitioners from the private sector who could assist in a response to a major pest and disease emergency.

I have been tasked with pulling together a PRIA steering committee for the National Emergency Communication Reserve and would like to know if Queensland and Western Australia would like to put forward a representative to join the committee.

Initially the terms of reference will be to:

  • Liaise with the Communications Unit at DAFF
  • Coordinate the PRIA contribution
  • Help steer and support the program & training
  • Advise on promotion

At present we envisage the committee would meet by teleconference every month for one hour, review written material and adding your expertise to the program’s development, implementation and management. It would be formed for an initial 6 months.

The DAFF Minister is due to make the announcement of the program next week.

The initial aim is to coordinate the first Teleconference of the committee with Howard Conkey who is coordinating the program from DAFF within two weeks.

We have attached the first draft of the discussion paper which was presented to the PRIA National Board.

Please let our national office know if you have anyone who would be keen to be involved by emailing Lloyd Grose at lloydg@pria.com.au.