As they say, without trucks Australia stops.

When Australians faced the lockdown restrictions for COVID-19, we witnessed the importance of having an effective and efficient supply chain and logistics industry.

At the peak of the “toilet paper panic” shoppers were buying seven weeks supply in seven days. All that product was delivered on the back of a truck.

It was great to do this series writing about trucking and supply chains with The Australian. Thank you to the Australian Logistics Council and the Australian Trucking Council, especially, for their comments.

Writing for education

 

When I write about education and the innovation underway in the sector, it is always a heartening experience.

There are so many passionate people in education, teaching new methods and content.

For these series,  I worked with The Australian for a six-story series on women in education.

This covered topics from the future of education (for girls and boys), lifelong learning, skills of the future, leading educators, how and why STEMM is critical for women and the ESG field where women hold their own at the corporate table.

It was wonderful learning more about this diverse and challenging field. There are no easy answers.

For more, visit The Australian: http://www.theaustralian.com.au

Helping parents of children with asthma get prepared for school 

Every February when school students return to school there is a spike in asthma symptoms and hospital presentations.

As the country’s leading voice on asthma education and resources, Asthma Australia collaborated with Barrett Comms to create a series of content pieces to reinforce important messages aimed at parents in the leadup to this time.

Barrett Comms also worked with Asthma Australia to update and refresh its website copy.

Thought leadership? It’s just an op-ed or a story

When I made the move from being a daily journalist into a communications role there were a few things I had to get my head around. 

Content, thought leadership, collateral, EDMs: all these terms were foreign to a newspaper reporter whose job it was to eliminate corporate speak and communicate in plain English.

Now those materials are my bread and butter. But not the jargon.

I still prefer to call them what they are: reports, blogs, stories and opinion pieces.

All these articles have a purpose. This is to engage and advocate, and ultimately, to build authority and credibility. Your message matters.

 

So what is thought leadership?

 

Thought leadership is an article or opinion piece that offers a fresh take on an area of expertise. Thought leaders stay relevant by linking their knowledge to wider events. They speak up on the issues of the day. They are not afraid to offer an opinion.

This is how to become a spokesperson in your field. By contributing to the public knowledge through smart communications, you can become an expert. Once your name is out there and you become known for your insights, facts and commentary, you can become a go-to person for media.

This all helps to get your message out to the right audience at the right time.

So for thought leadership without the jargon, just stick to the basics. Know your topic, have a view and present it well. And please, no corporate speak!

NT The World’s Biggest Art Gallery

Explore the NT Arts Trail

NT Arts Trail Paints Region as World Class Destination

Sometimes there is a story that just clicks with you

When I was researching for a story in The Weekend Australian’s Mansion magazine about the renowned artist Janet Laurence, she mentioned how lucky I was to live in Brisbane.

This was because, from a public art perspective, we had one of the world’s best public art manufacturers operating from the city.

As a born and bred Brisbane resident who had worked in media for many years covering many different organisations, I was surprised I was unaware of the powerhouse that is UAP.

I was fortunate enough to go on a factory tour with Founder and Creative Director Daniel Tobin and learn more about the company and its incredible works for an article in The Australian’s The Deal magazine.

Co-founder and Managing Director Matthew Tobin told me through advanced manufacturing and robotics, they have been able to increase their efficiency and return production to Australia from China.

“Ten years ago we thought our workshop in Australia would be a prototype workshop and everything would be made in China,” he said. “A decade on, we know that is entirely inaccurate and our manufacturing will be made locally. To be viable and competitive as a manufacturer, especially as a custom manufacturer, it’s going to be cheaper to do it locally.”

Thank you to UAP and The Australian for allowing me to learn more about this great business.

Brisbane’s most influential people

This year I wrote a series of articles on key figures in Brisbane leading the city in its “new world” transformation. It was great fun to be involved.

There is a lot happening across the city, from the new developments of Howard Smith Wharves and Queen’s Wharf, to fresh energy within our cultural and educational institutions.

But, really, it comes down to the people and our spectacular weather.

As the creative director of the Queensland Ballet and “Mao’s Last Dancer”, Li Cunxin, put it: “Without a doubt, Brisbane is its people”. “Brisbane people are so welcoming, so friendly, so industrious and entrepreneurial, so creative. Brisbane really feels alive at the moment in everything from its food and dining scene to the latest designer hotels on the scene.”

And the final word goes to Infrastructure Australia chair Julieanne Alroe. “Brisbane is so much better experienced than explained,” Alroe says.

“Brisbane to me, when comes down to it, we just have the best lifestyle. People are friendly. The weather is fantastic. The city and the regions are still accessible but we’ve still got that good mix of growth and lifestyle.” 

Find out more in The Deal’s Brisbane special.

How does the media work?

 

News and media outlets are relentless. Journalists are always on the hunt for a new story to tell, or a new way of telling an existing story.

There is a never-ending paradox of information overload. Journalists are bombarded with information but they are also searching endlessly for a good news story.

A journalist will always take a good story, as long as it is logistically possible to do so. Ensure your information is presented in the best way – and at the best time – to “get a run” in the media.

So how does a news operation actually work?

How a daily newspaper works

A traditional newspaper starts later than some other media. Other than the early chief of staff – who allocates stories – and a few early reporters, most journalists in the newsroom start the day about 8.30am or 9am.

Most reporters already have ideas for their stories of the day ready to go. They may have been alerted to an upcoming press conference or found a hidden gem in a report that would “hold” until a convenient time. They may have had an idea for a theme they would pursue, or been tasked with a follow up to an on-going news story.

Reporters crystallise their story idea into a brief – basically the proposed top of the story – and send it to the chief-of-staff before the morning conference. This meeting of editors and photo editors takes place three times daily and sets and refines the news agenda. The first is generally about 11am.

During the day reporters work on their stories – often multiple on any given day – and contact different stakeholders. Editors may request a certain take on a story after conference, or want additional details, an accompanying photo or a case study.

A more definite version of the story brief is sent to afternoon conference, generally about 3pm.

By 4pm and certainly 5pm, reporters are writing up their stories. Deadlines can be as early as 4pm for specific sections of the newspaper. Deadlines only extend into the evening for late-breaking stories or for the early pages – pages one or three.

Do not call a journalist with a non-urgent issue in the afternoon. Likewise, sending out a release in the afternoon means it is less likely to get attention.

 

How does a television newsroom operate?

Television crews work to earlier deadlines, given the time-intensive demands of face-to-face interviews and video editing.

Many television journalists are on the road with their crews from 7am, having been briefed by their producers on their stories for the day. Filming occurs across the day but ideally the footage and interviews are conducted in the morning.

Editing of the bulletins occurs from 3pm at the latest for a 5pm, 6pm or 7pm bulletin. Journalists also can be called on to do live crosses, or earlier packages for rolling coverage.

 

So it’s busy, decisions are being made quickly and efficiently, and journalists get their stories out. 

Then they get up and do it all again the next day.

And that’s how media operates.