The CCA annual conference – unfolding in Brisbane on 18-19-20 November – will feature two renowned Australian advocacy specialists, who will give participants a set of “how to” guidelines and techniques to get the attention of governments.
Neil Pharaoh (pictured) and Angus Crowther from Spark Strategy will present both a keynote address and run a masterclass. In “Play to win: how to beat lobbyists at their own game”, Neil will set the scene for Australian political advocacy, where lobbying has become a dirty word with more than 450 lobbyists in Australia predominately representing the vested interests of small yet powerful minority groups. As a result, these lobbyists are dominating public voice and outcompeting the efforts of the not-for-profit, for purpose and social sectors to be present in government decision making when it matters most or at all.
If you do business with, receive funding from or seek policy and legislative change from government, then the Spark Strategy masterclass, entitled “Government Engagement 101”, will be an essential workshop. Traditional pathways into government no longer work, but advocacy does. This masterclass will take participants through the fundamentals of how to advocate to government, what to do to get their attention and keep it, and where to begin to make government engagement systemic and a practice of business as usual for your organisation.
Using his accumulated years of experience of going “toe-to-toe” against lobbyist groups to win and hold the attention of decision makers in government, Neil will push participants to go outside their comfort zones when engaging with government to help participants see what they must do differently to be present, counted and to win the day. His talks are interactive, challenging and can be hard to hear but will set participants on the path to achieving the public policy outcomes they want and what their communities need.
About Neil Pharaoh
A tri-sector executive leader and director with many years’ senior-level, strategic, corporate and not-for-profit experience building scalable, sustainable organisations, Neil brings a principled, tenacious approach to the leadership table that is committed to achieving the best possible social, commercial and economic outcomes. He has traversed sectors and geographies, applying proven competency in strategic business planning, development and management to creating best-practice fundraising, communications and government advocacy frameworks, enabling philanthropic ventures to maximise opportunities and impact. His skill at connecting seemingly disparate dots in order to define and operationalise highly effective business strategies is what defines him. Able to think strategically and operationally, with a high level of analytical objectivity and agility, Neil brings a rare capacity for innovation and pragmatism.
About Angus Crowther
With experience working in ministerial offices within government, Angus has a deep understanding of the political process and how organisations can better engage with government to affect positive and lasting outcomes. An integral component of Angus’ success in helping to achieve outcomes was through his ability to engage with stakeholders from across the government, private and not-for-profit sectors. Back home in Queensland, Angus was co-convenor for Rainbow Labor and engaged with government and the community to strengthen laws which protect LGBTIQ+ people from discrimination and harassment while seeking to progress lasting change. He has worked on election campaigns for state and federal members and brings with him knowledge on the ins-and-outs of this process – and a particular knowledge of his home state of Queensland.
Details about how to register for the conference are here.
