• Lobbying Politicians

Lobbying Members of Parliament (MPs) can be valuable if you want to:

• Influence a decision that is about to be made by Parliament.
• Gain the support of policy makers and force consultation on an issue, by establishing the dialogue.
• Force MPs to make a powerful stand about a particular campaign.

Lobbying your MP effectively requires careful thought, preparation and follow-up. Meeting with an MP in person is an effective way to demonstrate how strongly you feel about a particular issue. It's also a good way to find out how your local politician feels about the issue at hand.

Duties Of MPs

Your local MP has certain duties towards you as a voter in their electorate. You can ask your local MP for help:

• In dealing with government departments.
• In approaching local businesses.

You can also ask them to present a petition to Parliament and they are obliged to carry this out. If you ask an MP to take up an issue that falls in the responsibility of a Minister, your MP must pass on the information to that Minister.

Meeting With MPs

If you plan to meet with an MP, it helps to write first. Letters demonstrate the amount of interest you have for the issue. They also give the MP something to refer to in your meeting.

Try to maximise your credibility by:

• Making your argument clear and reasonable.
• Being specific about your objections, aims and ideas for solutions.
• Providing evidence of local support for your issue.
• Showing them relevant press clippings or a briefing paper on the issue.

The Meeting

Once you've written to an MP requesting a meeting, phone to make an appointment.

Make sure you prepare for the meeting and have at hand all the information you need. It's useful to leave some information with the MP so they have something to refer to and pass on to relevant people.

If you're going to the meeting in a group, ensure:

• You all have a good understanding of the issue.
• You've worked out in advance what you're going to say and who will talk about what.
• One person is responsible for taking notes during the meeting.

Always take advantage of 'looking respectable'.

Before you leave the meeting, try to get a clear commitment of the sorts of assistance the MP will provide. Don't settle for vague promises.

The Follow-up

After the meeting, make sure you write back to the MP thanking them for the meeting and outlining what you discussed - particularly reminding them of any promises they may have made. Don't let them forget!

How To Lobby A Politician
http://www.zeta.org.au/aldis/lobby.html
Further useful tips on lobbying politicians.

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