10 things to do when a journalist phones

When a journalist knocks on your door looking for a comment, it is tempting to simply answer their questions. But you need to be much more organised if you want to build and protect your brand and reputation.

Here is our list of 10 must do actions to take when a journalist asks you for a comment:

1.      Ask what they want: Don’t assume you know what they want to talk to you about.

2.      Ask what they already know: What information do they already have? Do they have a concrete basis for the story already or are they on a fishing expedition?

3.      Ask who else they have spoken to: Knowing this can help you figure out what other people may have already said. Have they spoken with someone who is likely to be critical of you or an action you have taken?

4.      Ask what angle they are taking: Okay – many journalists aren’t going to tell you, but it’s worth asking the question anyway.

5.      Ask what their deadline is: You need to know how fast you need to move. Making them miss their deadline is not conducive to building a good working relationship.

6.      Tell them you will call back: That’s right – never do an interview on the spot. You need to do some homework first. While journalists on a tight deadline won’t be happy, they will appreciate the fact that you can talk to them armed with facts.

7.      Do your homework: Gather the facts, Google recent news stories on the topic and prepare yourself for the interview. Look at what is being said on social media, particularly news Facebook pages. Think about questions the journalist might put to you and prepare answers.

8.      Practice with a friend: It doesn’t matter whether it is a work colleague, your partner or a media advisor; it makes sense to have at least five minutes practice before you head into the real interview. Other people will also think of questions that slipped your mind.

9.      Call the journalist back: Even if you decide you are not going to provide any comment on the story, have the courtesy to let the journalist know before their deadline has passed.

10.   Review the result: Make sure you watch the news or read the paper to see the result. Critically review your own performance so you can do better next time.

Tracy Jones started her career as a journalist 30 years ago before moving to public relations. She is principal of Creative Territory and runs the company’s Intensive Media Training for Executives course.

Sherwin Iron reached agreement with Darwin Port

Sherwin Iron Limited and the Darwin Ports Corporation have entered into a non-binding Heads of Agreement to negotiate, develop and enter into formal agreements for the lease and use of land and facilities by Sherwin at Darwin’s East Arm Wharf.

The Board expects that shipments of iron ore from the company’s Roper River tenements can commence in 2013 through the EAW facilities if suitable agreements can be put into place with corporation.

The proposed East Arm Wharf facilities will enable Sherwin to initially export 1 million tonnes of bulk iron ore per year, building up to 3 million tonnes per year. The facilities would be used by Sherwin for up to 20 years.

The formal agreements will provide licences to allow Sherwin to access and use the land at East Arm Wharf to construct the necessary facilities and to stockpile materials.

The Heads of Agreement will terminate by mutual consent upon entering into the formal documents or 31 December 2013, whichever is earlier.

NTFL Driving Road Safety

Round 14 of the TIO NTFL season has been renamed the “Road Safety Round” to raise awareness amongst high risk drivers of the need to heed road safety advice.

Sponsored by TIO and supported by NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services, St John Ambulance and NT Road Safety, the NTFL Road Safety Day will bring together players, supporters and spectators to consider the issues of road safety.

 AFLNT CEO Tony Frawley said that the AFLNT is very supportive of this initiative and has encouraged all NTFL clubs to actively participate.

“The football community across the Top End have lost numerous members due to road accidents and AFLNT along with NTFL clubs fully support the efforts of TIO who have been long standing supporters of the NTFL for many years.”

Chief Executive Richard Harding said that TIO was dedicated to improving road safety in the Territory.

“Each year we see on average 50 people killed on NT roads and nearly 500 seriously injured requiring hospitalisation,” Mr Harding said.

“Drivers under 25 years are 3 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured, the cost of these young lives, along with the pain and anguish to friends and families, is significant.

“TIO’s sponsorship of the NTFL and in particular the Road Safety Round, is aimed at creating awareness and reinforcing the messages about road safety to a high risk, novice male drivers audience and the wider community.

“TIO asks young drivers to be aware of their choices and know the consequences,” he said.

Tiwi Bombers Captain Shane Tipuamantimirri who works with Indigenous youth at Tiwi College says it is shattering to see the effect of preventable car accident deaths.

“The impact is not only on the victim and his family but also the extended family and community,” he said.

 A high profile Tiwi role model due to his work with youth and football career, the Tiwi Bombers captain said, “I have work colleagues who, along with me, have lost close relations let alone friends and I cannot begin to state the agony and sadness these deaths and injuries bring.”

Shane Tipuamantimirri said the islanders, as in most remote areas, have to negotiate very poor road conditions for most of the year.

 “I can only beg everyone who drives to belt up.”

The NTFL Road Safety Day will target high risk drivers directly through fully integrated education and public awareness activities focussing on the risks of road safety and the choices and consequences all drivers face.

All under 18 teams have been scheduled to play at TIO Stadium on the day and will attend Road Safety Awareness sessions to discuss road safety and hear first hand from the organisations that deal with road trauma and its consequences.

Both teams in the Palmerston Magpies v Tiwi Bombers Premier League Game will wear the “seatbelt” customised Guernseys and the umpires will wear “Seatbelts save lives” shirts for all matches throughout the day.

While seatbelts are a significant causal and compounding factor in road crashes they are not the only factor, the Road Safety day will address the breadth of road safety messages.

A range of spectator Road Safety Awareness activities will be held at half time as well YouTube live streaming of the second premier games, road safety messages on the big screen, Hector the Cat, Emergency vehicle displays and TIO’s drink driving party safe program.

“This will be a big day of football, with a very big message,” TIO CEO Richard Harding said.

Zuccoli hot property

The Darwin property market continues to defy national property trends with land selling at record speed.

The Warbird release at Zuccoli Village, which hit the market last week, has sold out.
Fringed by savannah bushland, the release featured 13 residential blocks ranging in size from 612 to 915 square metres.

“We had a strong response, which is promising for the local community,” Urbex Project Director Andrew Bartington said.

“Many people are looking to own their own home and have discovered that buying a block and building can be more affordable than purchasing an existing home.”

Mr Bartington said Urbex works with people to find a home design that’s within their budget and built by local builders.

“We have a range of designs for people to choose from and we are with them every step of the way.”
Zuccoli is a master planned community developed by Urbex in partnersip with the Northern Territory’s Land Development Corporation.

When complete the suburb, located just off the Stuart Highway off Lambrick Avenue, will be the largest in Palmerston and will incorporate schools, sporting facilities, commercial/retail centres, community facilities and an extensive range of walking and bicylce tracks.

People wanting more information on life at the Village can visit www.zuccolivillage.com.au or call Janzey Pratt on 1300 556 950.

Six top online and social sources for Top End cyclone information

By Tracy Jones

With the cyclone season now upon us, all of us in the Top End need to be prepared. With your cyclone kit packed, your insurance updated and your family emergency plan updated, you need to think about how you will access the information you need to get through.

Our research at Creative Territory has shown us that up to 90 per cent of Top Enders are now using the web and social media to find out what is going on. The problem is, the social media space is now so overcrowded with “experts” it is hard to know who to trust.

Here’s our advice on where to go, depending on the type of information you are looking for:

1.       For official weather information go to www.bom.gov.au The Bureau of Meteorology issues all official cyclone watches and warnings. It is also the place to watch the latest radar information. You can also see radar images by downloading the Rain? app on your mobile phone or tablet device.

2.       For official updates on government information and services, go to www.secureNT.nt.gov.au This site aggregates information from all NT Government agencies in one place. It also includes useful tips to help you get ready for the season. You can also like secureNT on Facebook (www.facebook.com/secureNT) or follow them on Twitter (www.twitter.com/@secureterritory). This is a trusted source for official information.

3.       If you are looking for more colour and interest but still want to have a reasonable level of trust in the information, use local traditional media outlets. ABC regularly updates its website with the latest information. ABC Darwin, The NT News and Nine News Darwin have very active social media channels through both Facebook and Twitter.

4.       A number of websites provide great professional and para-professional commentary on weather conditions as they change. Try www.northauschasers.com , the Weather Channel or Weather Zone.

5.       In Twitter, do a search for hashtags that will help you sift through information. For example, in the Top End, search for #topend which is used by many locals to help index their Tweets. Once a cyclone is declared, many Tweets will use the appropriate hashtag – for example, during Cyclone Carlos in Darwin many people used #Carlos or #TCCarlos  Just be aware that not all this information can be trusted – not because people are trying to fool you, but because not everyone has accurate information.

6.       Watch out for what your friends are saying and see what people you follow are saying. They’ll provide you with a very local weather forecast right from their own home.

Love leads to Mission Australia Katherine

Michelle Kudell took a chance on love and is now the new Regional Services Manager for Mission Australia in Katherine.

The former Manager for Indigenous Health at Darling Downs and South West Queensland Medicare Local reconnected with her high school sweetheart, whom she’s known for 28 years, and followed her heart north.

As fate would have it, Mission Australia was looking for someone with her experience, passion and enthusiasm to lead their Katherine team and manage delivery of its regional programs.

Ms Kudell has more than 10 years in the health welfare and education industry and a strong interest in Indigenous health. 

At GP Connections in Toowoomba she headed up the development of the Be Proud card, which helps aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people access mainstream health services, and was instrumental in organising an Indigenous Health Committee for the Darling Downs region.

“I love to work creatively and hope I can inspire my team to achieve new and great things in their field,” Ms Kudell said.

“I aim to continue to build our current programs and look for ways to make them sustainable and relevant to the community.”

Mission Australia run a variety of programs in Katherine and surrounding remote communities including money management, housing support, early intervention programs for youth homelessness and dedicated case management.

“I’d also like to be proactive in helping the homeless and be part of community task forces that achieve real results,” Ms Kudell said.

When not at work, you’re likely to see the visual artist (and her sweetheart) trying to land a barra or exploring the natural wonders in the region.

AACo appoints project management and construction companies for Meat Processing Facility

Australian Agricultural Company Limited (AACo) today announced it had appointed the Project Manager and Managing Contractor for the construction of the meat processing facility at Livingstone Valley, 50km south of Darwin.

Locally based Project Management specialists Thinc and construction company Sunbuild have been contracted to manage the building of the facility.

AACo General Manager, Mr Stewart Cruden said that the expertise both companies will bring to the project was of the highest standard.

Thinc has extensive experience in major property and capital works projects while Sunbuild has established an excellent reputation in the Territory with award winning projects such as Evolution, the Darwin Rail Terminal and Darwin Airport Resort.

“AACo welcomes both companies on board, their appointment is a significant milestone and with earth works already underway, we can now start to see how the facility will actually take shape,” he said.

“After months of careful planning it’s all systems go.”

Construction of the meat processing facility will create around 230 jobs. It is expected much of the workforce will be accessed from local contractors, with some specialist skills sought from outside of the Northern Territory as required.

The Processing Facility will be developed at a capital cost of around $85 million.

Tender documents will also be released for drainage, concrete, steelwork, insulated panel and specialised equipment.

Facility construction and equipment installation is expected to be complete in the third quarter of next year, with commissioning beginning immediately.

Once operational, the facility will create 260 direct and a further 530 indirect jobs, including substantial new opportunities for indigenous and female workers in the region. It will inject $126 million a year into the local economy, will be efficient from a carbon emissions standpoint, and improve animal welfare outcomes.

No need for court for construction complaints

A leading Northern Territory lawyer says builders no longer need to feel powerless against developers when construction disputes arise.

Alistair Wyvill SC of William Forster Chambers said builders often feel they have to discount their invoices to get paid, even when they believe there’s no foundation to the developer’s complaint.

The Darwin barrister said subcontractors and suppliers also take this approach when owed money by contractors. They feel that their only other option is an expensive and drawn out court case.

Mr Wyvill says that builders and subcontractors do have a viable alternative to costly court proceedings by using adjudications under the Construction Contract (Security of Payments) Act.

“Adjudication is a fast and cost effective way of forcing payment under construction contracts. It normally takes about four weeks and if successful results in a judgment enforceable by the courts,” Mr Wyvill said

“There is no limit to the amount which can be awarded. It is the big stick that every builder or supplier should know about.”

The Security of Payments legislation is in place to promote the use of good payment practices and to help resolve building contract disputes without drawn out and costly court cases.

Under the process an independent and qualified professional reviews each party’s case  and determines the competing claims on a strict timetable.

Determinations cannot be appealed and if not complied with can result in companies being subject to a substantial court judgment and even winding-up proceedings.

“It is highly likely that the Northern Territory will see an increase in construction industry contract payment disputes in the expected building and mining boom,” Mr Wyvill said.

“It is vital for members of the construction industry to understand this legislation, be aware of the opportunities it creates and but also to understand its pitfalls.”

William Forster Chambers will be conducting a seminar on Security of Payments Adjudication directed to builders and developers on Tuesday 27 November 2012 between 4.30pm and 6.00pm at William Forster Chambers, 26 Harry Chan Avenue, Darwin.

For further information go to www.williamforster.com  or call Megan White on 89824700.

Sherwin Iron and NLC reach historic agreement for mine

Sherwin Iron Limited and the Northern Land Council have reached an agreement on the terms under which Sherwin may mine the Roper River Iron Ore Project.

 

The agreement, ratified at a full council meeting of the NLC today, is a critical milestone in securing the future of the mine as well as providing substantial benefits to the traditional owners and native title holders of the mine.

The Roper River Iron Ore Project, which is 500km south east of Darwin, has a current resource of 488 million tonnes. The project includes several major deposits including Hodgson Downs, Mount Fisher, Sherwin Creek, Mount Scott and Yumanji.

The NLC agreement is subject to Ministerial approval.

The agreement covers mining and exploration over all Sherwin tenements and includes royalty payments and Indigenous employment targets.

Sherwin Iron Executive Chairman Barry Coulter paid tribute to the NLC and traditional owners for their commitment to the project.

“There has been a real spirit of openness and trust throughout the negotiations,” Mr Coulter said.

“We are all committed to achieving an outcome that brings benefits to the traditional owners, local people and the broader Territory community.”

Up to 200 people will be employed during construction of the mine, with 400 jobs created once fully operational. At least 200 million tonnes of ore will be produced over the mine life, including initial 40 million tonnes of high value Direct Shipping Ore.

Direct investment in the mine is estimated to be $800 million over the life of the project, which includes mine infrastructure, beneficiation facilities, camp, transport infrastructure and environmental control processes.

In broader Territory terms, assessment by Perth-based Prime Research estimates a boost of between $2,500 million and $2,900 million to the economy over the next eight years.

Sherwin Iron is currently moving through environmental assessment and community consultation ahead of lodging a Notice of Intent with the Northern Territory Government later this month.
 

The project was granted Major Project Status by the Northern Territory Government earlier this year. Work is continuing on completing an Environmental Impact Statement and working towards receiving regulatory approval.

Creative Territory shortlisted for international social media award

Creative Territory has been shortlisted for an international award for social media.

The Darwin-based company has been named as one of three shortlisted entries in the Public Affairs Asia Gold Standard Awards, which recognise excellence in public affairs throughout the Asia Pacific region.

The company is up against campaigns by global companies Adidas and IBM in the Social Media Communications category, the winner of which will be announced in Hong Kong on December 6.

Creative Territory has been recognised for its use of social media during Cyclone Carlos in February 2011, including the provision of information through Facebook and Twitter during the storm and its research into community information sources afterwards.

Managing director and social media commentator Tracy Jones said her company’s work has led to a greater understanding of how people in the Top End access information during emergencies in the social media age.
 

“Our research has shown that Territorians are increasingly switching to their smartphones and computers in an emergency,” Tracy said.

“When Cyclone Carlos hit Darwin, Territorians were looking to Facebook and Twitter to find out what was going on but few local organisations were there with them.

“We’ve seen an amazing turnaround since then, with authorities and the media now providing a complete social media service that not only provides information but engages Territorians in the recovery process.

“The use of Facebook and Twitter during Cyclone Carlos was 22 per cent. Just 10 months later during Cyclone Grant that had jumped to 38 per cent. More importantly, Territorians feel much better informed about what is going on as the use of social media grows.”

Creative Territory has shared its research with the local community, media and government as well as interstate and international colleagues. This work has contributed to creating a better understanding about how people access and use information during emergencies and recovery.

For more information about the awards: http://www.publicaffairsasia.net/goldstandard/index.html.