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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Advise on sensitive situations
   • Maintain close communication with national, regional and local media to identify and anticipate issues of significance to the organisation.
   • Identify and assess trends, public opinion and perspectives for their impact on the organisation.
   • Provide advice on sensitive issues as they arise and on emerging issues that may be politically sensitive for the organisation.
   • Ensure advice is based on well-researched background information, is objective and meets the organisation’s needs.
   • Ensure advice includes strategies for dealing with sensitive situations while maintaining confidentiality, and handling breaches of confidentiality.
2. Advise on reactions to organisational action
   • Analyse proposed organisational policies, programs and actions for their impact on clients and/or the public.
   • Provide advice on anticipated or actual public and media reaction to proposed organisational changes.
   • Include in advice given strategies for ensuring full understanding of the benefits of change, minimising damage to the organisation’s image and reputation, and recommendations to counter negative publicity.
   • Provide candid, objective and confidential advice.
3. Advise on organisational materials
   • Analyse draft materials produced by the organisation for political, social or economic issues relevant to the government as a whole, the intended audience and/or the public.
   • Identify cultural context of the information in terms of its relevance or otherwise to the target audience and the general population.
   • Identify stereotypes, bias, prejudice and motive and highlight for amendment.
   • Identify key issues, separate fact from opinion and explore underlying values and beliefs.
   • Synthesise information and prepare advice or feedback to ensure publications meet organisational standards and contribute to public affairs outcomes.
4. Advise on sensitive situations
   • Maintain close communication with national, regional and local media to identify and anticipate issues of significance to the organisation.
   • Identify and assess trends, public opinion and perspectives for their impact on the organisation.
   • Provide advice on sensitive issues as they arise and on emerging issues that may be politically sensitive for the organisation.
   • Ensure advice is based on well-researched background information, is objective and meets the organisation’s needs.
   • Ensure advice includes strategies for dealing with sensitive situations while maintaining confidentiality, and handling breaches of confidentiality.
5. Advise on reactions to organisational action
   • Analyse proposed organisational policies, programs and actions for their impact on clients and/or the public.
   • Provide advice on anticipated or actual public and media reaction to proposed organisational changes.
   • Include in advice given strategies for ensuring full understanding of the benefits of change, minimising damage to the organisation’s image and reputation, and recommendations to counter negative publicity.
   • Provide candid, objective and confidential advice.
6. Advise on organisational materials
   • Analyse draft materials produced by the organisation for political, social or economic issues relevant to the government as a whole, the intended audience and/or the public.
   • Identify cultural context of the information in terms of its relevance or otherwise to the target audience and the general population.
   • Identify stereotypes, bias, prejudice and motive and highlight for amendment.
   • Identify key issues, separate fact from opinion and explore underlying values and beliefs.
   • Synthesise information and prepare advice or feedback to ensure publications meet organisational standards and contribute to public affairs outcomes.

Performance Evidence

Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified, the candidate must demonstrate evidence of performance of the following on at least one occasion.

applying legislation, regulations and policies relating to public affairs

analysing organisational policy, core business and client group for potential sensitive issues

using discretion and judgment with sensitive issues

providing candid confidential advice

analysing and interpreting organisational materials to advise on changes to address sensitive issues

applying procedures relating to work health and safety and the environment in the context of public affairs

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Knowledge Evidence

Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified, the depth of knowledge demonstrated must be appropriate to the job context of the candidate.

public sector legislation including work health and safety and the environment, regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines relating to public affairs

maintaining relationships with key media contacts

journalistic and interpretive writing

strategies to deal with sensitive situations to defend the organisation’s position in the face of criticism

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