Writing Letters to the Editor

Elected officials carefully monitor newspapers, and other forms of public information sharing to gauge local opinion.  By mentioning your Parliamentarians, State Assembly representatives or Local Council by name and stating the specific action you would like them to take, you can guarantee that your letter will catch the attention of your elected representatives.

Keep it short

Try to keep your letter between 100-200 words or less and focus on a single issue.  Start by stating your main point and why the issue is important to you (what impact does it have on the local community).  Provide facts, quotes and numbers next and then wrap up by restating the point and make your recommendation.

Respond to a news story

Open with a specific reference to a recent news story, editorial or previous letter.  Aim to respond before 1pm on the day of an issue arising (aiming for publication the following day).  Try to react to articles or letters in the paper, but sometimes letters to the editor can generate some discussion/debate in the letters page, so don’t rule out that possibility.

Make a local connection

Your letter will be of more interest to editors of your local paper if you highlight the local impact of a national or foreign policy issue.

Demonstrate your reach

If you know that your opinion also represents that of others, be sure to mention it. 

Consider your options

Most letters can be sent to many newspapers, but letters editors are not likely to publish a letter if they know it has been sent to lots of newspapers, so use the blind carbon copy (bcc) option.  Don’t forget suburban or neighborhood publications, specialized local magazines, ethnic press/media, religious publications (including newsletters) and university media.

Practicalities

Check your spelling, write in the body of the email (not an attachment), if you are responding to an article/letter, make sure to mention it in your letter  (‘I would like to correct the figures in Susie Smith’s letter of March 26’).  You may want to cc or bcc your local Member or others and make sure to include your name and best daytime contact details if the editors want to check some information.

The Quaker Peace and Legislation Committee gratefully acknowledges the Friends National Committee on Legislation Write Letters to the Editor upon which this Australian version is based.

What is a submission?

Parliamentary inquiries are   undertaken by the parliamentary committee with relevant responsibility.  While the committee will seek expert advice, it will also seek the views of members of the public. This can be done through written submissions, public hearings, roundtables, forums or other community engagements.

This is an opportunity for individuals or groups to share their experience, advice and knowledge with the government. 

Why should I write one?

Information from submissions is analyzed and becomes part of the Inquiry Report which is tabled in Parliament. 

Even the numbers of submissions received by the committee is seen as an indication of public awareness, anger or support of the particular topic. 

The Government responds to an Inquiry Report either by presenting a written response in Parliament, or if it’s a bill inquiry, by discussing the report in parliamentary debate on the bill.

How do I do it?

There is no set format for a submission.  It can be long or short, or even in audio visual format.  Each inquiry has its own Terms of Reference, and it’s critical that the submission focus on the Terms of Reference for that Inquiry only. Each Inquiry has a dedicated webpage with information about the inquiry history, closing date for submissions (including extensions), dates of public hearings (past and upcoming), Terms of Reference, media releases, committee home page and contact details for the Committee Secretariat (see link below).

The best submissions:

• clearly address some or all of the terms of reference—you do not need to address each one
• are relevant and highlight your own perspective
• are concise, generally no longer than four to five pages
• begin with a short introduction about yourself or the organisation you represent
• emphasise the key points so that they are clear
• outline not only what the issues are but how problems can be addressed, as the committee looks to submissions for ideas to make recommendations
• only include documents that directly relate to your key points
• only include information you would be happy to see published on the internet.

Submissions that include complex argument, personal details or criticise someone may take the committee longer to process and consider.

What about my privacy?

It’s important to keep in mind that submissions are part of a common public record and are published on the Parliamentary website. Signatures and personal contact details are removed prior to publication (it’s best to include such information only in a covering letter and not in the submission itself).  If you feel that you must provide the submission anonymously, you need to be clear and provide a reason when you upload or send the document.

How do I know an inquiry is happening? How do I find Terms of Reference? 

Public inquiries are considered a critical part of the democratic process. There is a lot of useful information on the Australian Parliament House website.

Place to start: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees

Click either:

• ‘Current public Inquiries’ which will include those Inquiries where submissions have closed, but the inquiry process is not concluded OR
• ‘Open public submissions’ which are those Inquiries which are still taking submissions OR
• ‘Upcoming public hearings’ – Inquiries where the public hearings haven’t taken place

The Open Public Submissions aka ‘Inquiries Accepting Submission’ page lists all Senate, House and Joint Committees accepting submissions, listed by closing date.

When you find the right inquiry (or the topic you’re interested in) click the Inquiry title and you’ll be taken to the dedicated page for that Inquiry.

The page will give you:

• Closing date for submissions, including any extensions
• Terms of Reference for the inquiry
• All the submissions, usually as they become available – by clicking on ‘submissions’ on the right margin. At the top of the ‘Submissions’ page is the number of submissions which have been provided. When you find a submission you want to read, just click on the small box to the right of the title and then the blue ‘download selected’ button at the bottom and you will be able to read and save the submission.  It’s a good idea to read some submissions and see the diversity – it can be very reassuring to see that some submissions are very short and to the point.
• Contact details for the Committee Secretariat
• Information about the inquiry
• Upcoming and past public hearings (when and where)
• Status of the Inquiry – ‘accepting submissions’ or ‘submissions closed’
• When the Inquiry Report is due to Parliament, including any extensions
• On the right margin is also a blue button ‘Track Inquiry’.  A pop-up will appear asking you to either log in or register to track this item. You’ll receive an email when things happen with this inquiry, which is very useful
• The blue ‘Upload Submission’ button is also on the right margin.

Effective letter writing to politicians

People often wonder if it’s really worth the effort to write a letter or email to their Member of Parliament or Senator.  This especially the case if the response they receive seems like a standard response, or doesn’t really respond to the questions raised.

It’s very important that people write letters or emails – they are read by the Parliamentarian’s Office, and if in government, also by the relevant department. 

It’s your letter to a Parliamentarian that matters, not the response you receive.

Correspondence to Parliamentarians in Government are logged, and usually counted, so the department can say with some confidence what issues the public is concerned about.

Here are some suggested tips to get you started:

1. Keep it short and simple, stay with one topic (or highlight the intersections of topics).
2. Paragraph 1: share who you are and why you are writing.  Include your professional or life experience credentials – for example: ‘As a parent with children in public school…’ or  ‘ As a small business owner…’
3. Paragraph 2: The issue you are concerned about and the action you want taken. Alternatively you might want to thank the Parliamentarian for an action they are taking and explain why it matters to you.
4. Para 3: Stay with one topic and highlight a few main points.  Most importantly, include how the issue affects you, your family or your community.  Your personal story is more moving than you may think.  Provide specific, rather than general information, about how the topic impacts your life and others you know.  Ask a question or request an action.
5. Paragraph 4: In closing, re-state what it is that you want done and thank the Parliamentarian for taking the time to read your letter and say that you ‘look forward to their response’.

 

Four major steps for a successful lobby visit

1. Choose a specific action you want your Parliamentarian to take and plan the visit. 

Get more information about the issue you care about, use QPLC action alerts and discussion papers or contact us about issues at the national level.  You don’t need to be an expert – the office wants to hear your story and how the legislation will affect voters like you.  Think of your various ‘hats’: Quaker,  care provider for elderly parents or children/grandchildren, local business owner/supporter, member of bushwalking group, etc.

2. Get in touch with your Parliamentarian/State Assembly/Local Councilperson or their staff.

And ask how to submit a visit request to the scheduler.

3. Go lobby using the Lobby Road Map.

a) Focus on building a relationship, not just the specific Ask.  Start by saying thank you for something, seek common values and listen.  This will allow you to gain more rapport with a Parliamentary office over time.  Keep in mind that during the course of their careers staffers are likely to work with several elected representatives, so building a good relationship is a worthwhile investment.
b) Make one Ask.  You only have a short meeting, so in order to be most effective with follow-up, try to focus the meeting on one issue and one Ask.  Members of your meeting can always schedule another meeting on a different topic if need be.

c) Speak from your experience.  Remember that you definitely don’t have to be an expert to be effective. All you have to do is speak from your experience and ask questions. Offices can access a range of facts, but what they can’t hear from anyone else is the heart of why the issue matters to their constituents.

d) Bring a fact sheet to leave behind, a one-page document which has your Ask written out, along with contact details for your group and useful information.

4. Follow up with the Parliamentary office and let QPLC know how things went.

 

The Quaker Peace and Legislation Committee gratefully acknowledges the Friends National Committee on Legislation Lobby 101 and Go Lobby!, upon which this Australian version is based.

National Quaker Peace & Legislation Committee – Lobbying Roadmap

Download the Lobby Roadmap Word Doc & fill in the details for each meeting, to help the meeting go smoothly and for record keeping.

 

Logistics

Name of Member of Parliament/Senator or other person you’re meeting with:________________________.  
Include useful background information, eg: what committees they serve on, academic background, pre-Parliamentary employment, how they’ve voted on related legislation, recent public statements. 
The Ask: What do you want the person to do? Meetings can be cut short, make the Ask early.

Date/Time:________________________.

Building/Room Number:________________________. 

Members of delegation and contact details:________________________.
Mobile phone numbers are useful if people get separated or if someone is running late.

 

Three key roles

Assign names for each of the roles listed below, and plan out what each person will say. 

Group Leader: __________________________ 

• Usually key point of contact for Office.
• Thanks Parliamentarian or staff for meeting.
• Introduces group as lobbying for the specific Ask.
• Gives brief summary of group
• Makes sure during the visit that the ‘Ask’ is repeated three times – if appropriate. First Ask should be early in case the meeting is shortened.

Note Taker: _____________________________________  

• Gets the names and contact information of everyone in the meeting who is not in your delegation 
• Takes notes and sends notes to delegation members
• Sends thank you follow up email to Parliamentary staff no later than 5pm the following day, and another email two weeks later.  Copy (cc) all of the other people in your group.

Storyteller: ___________________________________
If there is time, this person (usually not a subject expert) explains how this particular topic impacts them/their family/community/town. 

 

Outline of the meeting – Assign names

1. Thank you for meeting with us about the Ask (what you want the person to do): _____________ 
2. Very brief introduction about the organization/community.  _____________ Most likely a staff member has done a general web search about your group.  If you’re meeting someone in Government, it’s likely that a full meeting brief has been written for the Parliamentarian – another reason to have your website/Instagram/TikTok/Facebook page up to date. 
3. Individual introduction: All participants very briefly give their names and community connections 
4. The ‘Thank you’:________________________. If possible, briefly thank them/the office for an action which your group is happy about, especially if it’s someone not aligned with your organisation.
5. The ‘Ask’ (second time): _________________________.
6. Personal/Community Story to be made by the Storyteller): ______________________. If there is time, one person can include a very brief story about why they are coming to make the case.  How it matters to them, their community, their town, etc. This links the Ask to a real-world example of community/individual impact).
7. Answer Follow-up Questions from Parliamentarian/Staffer: _______________________. You aren’t expected to be an expert on the Ask or wider issues, such information can be provided in the follow up email.
8. Wrap Up to be made by: __________________.

A) Repeat the ‘Ask’ if it hasn’t yet been answered: “Would you/your boss be willing to ___________________?”
B) Ask when you can follow up: eg: “Given that the vote is taking place next Tuesday, could we follow up with you on Monday to seek if your boss has decided which way she’s voting, and if she’s willing to make a public statement?”
C) Thank the staffer and/or Parliamentarian for the decision/their time and consideration.
D) Make sure contact details are/have been exchanged.
E) If it seems like a good idea ask for a photo with a prop if possible, explain how it will be used (eg ‘We’ll put this on our social media, and share it will our networks’).

    9. Follow- up: Notetaker__________________. Email follow up note to staffers, include: thank you, any information requested by the office and the staffer’s contact details, cc other members of your delegation into the email. 

 

The Quaker Peace and Legislation Committee gratefully acknowledges the Friends National Committee on Legislation Lobby Road Map, upon which this Australian version is based.

National Quaker Peace & Legislation Committee – Six Key Lobby Tips

 

Tip #1: Be prepared

While you don’t have to be an expert on the specific issue and the Ask, do your homework.  Know the position of your elected representative, and the impacts of this position on the local community.  You may not have more than a few minutes, even if the meeting was scheduled for longer, so use your time wisely – a Roadmap is handy.

 

Tip #2: Be positive

Even if you disagree with your Parliamentarian/Assembly Representative/Local Council on most issues, odds are that you can find something your agree on.  Thank them for something you both support.  Building a long-term relationship with the office is a good investment.  Be polite and respectful to everyone in the office and around the table.  It’s not unusual for receptionists/front of house staff to move around as politicians come and go. Plus, they are usually well connected. If there are people who look very young or are introduced as junior members of the team, keep in mind that they usually have to report back to senior people and will, sometimes quickly, move up the ranks.

 

Tip #3: Don’t memorise – practice in advance, think of the meeting as a piece of chorography, don’t leave things to chance, have a game plan

Use dot points to make sure key points/figures aren’t forgotten – use a Road Map or something similar.  The office/elected representative wants to know why you are going to the trouble of meeting with them. You don’t need to be a subject matter expert, it’s your story that counts. Unsure how to answer a question? Take it on notice and send the information or response by 5pm on the same day if possible.

 

Tip #4: Use the buddy system, build a delegation

You are more likely to get a meeting with someone if you come with a delegation representing the diversity of your community.  Build a delegation that is as diverse in as many ways as possible.  Run through your introductions in advance so that even if the delegation looks the same (age, ethnicity, etc), the introductions are diverse.  For example, I’m Sue Smith from Smalltown in the northern part of NSW.  My partner and I have a small construction business which was pretty impacted by COVID. We have two children, one in public school and one in private, we’re also an NDIS family and just finished rebuilding our house from the 2021 floods.  I really want to thank you for taking the time to attend our flood recovery ceremony last year – it really mattered to everyone.  In four sentences the Parliamentarian knows that Sue Smith has several networks into a range of community/school and work groups who may well hear about her experience of this meeting.

 

Tip #5: Have a strong Ask

Having a concrete Ask is important.  Be specific.  ‘Will you/your boss make a public statement in support of signing and ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition on Nuclear Weapons?’  If it relates to legislation, make sure that your Parliamentarian or their staff knows exactly which bill you are talking about.  If it relates to an action in a specific location, make sure that information is clearly conveyed.  Leave behind your contact details (including your website or other useful links). 

 

Tip #6: Follow up.  Then follow up again.

After you visit, send a thank you note to the member of staff or elected representative you met with, answer any questions. Think about how you can build a relationship with the office. If you use social media to amplify the visit, let the Office know where to find it online.

 

Ideas for the Ask:

Vote a certain way.  Make a public statement.  Talk with your colleagues.  Sponsor or co-sponsor a bill.  Call for an Inquiry.   Sign our petition.   Attend or speak at our event.  Visit our stricken location. Meet with our representatives. Make a statement in Parliament.

 

The Quaker Peace and Legislation Committee gratefully acknowledges the Friends National Committee on Legislation Lobby Road Map, upon which this Australian version is based.