Diary
08 May 2012
Australian Federal Budget 2012-13
Budget night is the biggest circus in Canberra. It actually runs all day and well into the night, in a peculiarly Australian ritual.
The day starts at 630am when the big parties hit the airwaves with spin on the day ahead and mopping up on the leaks and preview stories that have been running constantly in the 2-3 weeks prior.
Then various special interest groups, including the media are sequestered away in ‘lock-ups’, where they are spoon fed press packs from the public service and Ministers and unable to access any communications with the outside world.
Then Treasurer presents the Budget from 7:30 – 8:00pm, which is broadcast live from Parliament House on the ABC and Sky News. Interest groups then line up to give a series of about 50+ 1-3 minute press conferences, in the main corridor of the Press Gallery.
Last year I attended the lock-up at Treasury and worked with renewable energy and climate groups on their analysis and messaging.
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