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Federal Election 2025 - Seats to watch
Democracy tastes best served hot As the Australian Federal Election approaches – we’re just five days away from it – here’s my promised...
Alistair Nicholas
12 minutes ago4 min read
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Election 2025
Housing affordability and cost of living pressures dominant issues of the 2025 federal election With just one week to go to the Federal...
Alistair Nicholas
4 days ago3 min read
7 views
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Canberra must heed Productivity Commission’s warning bell on trade, domestic subsidies and tariffs
Australia’s Productivity Commission’s latest annual Trade and Assistance Review 2021-22, released yesterday, is scathing of recent...
Alistair Nicholas
Jul 20, 20232 min read
14 views
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A Commical take on influencing policy change
I was delighted to appear on Marie El Daghl's Commical podcast together with Dany Elachi of The Heads Up Alliance to discuss mobile phone...
Alistair Nicholas
Sep 6, 20221 min read
25 views
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What does Saturday’s election result mean for your Canberra government relations strategy?
Given that some clients have already asked me what Saturday’s election result means for their government relations strategy, I thought I...
Alistair Nicholas
May 23, 20225 min read
41 views
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Tomorrow's election - reading the runes and getting my democracy sausage
Political tragic that I am, I will be glued to the television tomorrow night, trying to read the runes of Australian politics as the...
Alistair Nicholas
May 20, 202210 min read
16 views
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Beware the China honey traps of LinkedIn
Many people may think the very notion of China honey traps on LinkedIn and other social media platforms is a fanciful idea that probably...
Alistair Nicholas
Apr 28, 20224 min read
2,062 views
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The geopolitics of choosing sides in the Ukraine conflict: why some countries support Russia
It is easy to divide the world into black and white, good and evil, based on how nations voted yesterday on the UN's resolution to...
Alistair Nicholas
Mar 3, 20228 min read
120 views
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Shifting geopolitical plates hold lessons for Russian invasion of Ukraine
It’s been interesting watching some of the social media commentary on the Russian invasion of Ukraine suggesting we are witnessing the...
Alistair Nicholas
Feb 25, 20227 min read
119 views
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No country for old men's euphemisms
The phrase "Let's Go Brandon" is the fastest trending political slogan in the US today. It is appearing on protest signs, bumper stickers...
Alistair Nicholas
Nov 4, 20212 min read
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Early federal election looking more likely
Increasingly the signs suggest Prime Minister Scott Morrison could call an election this year, or perhaps early in 2022. Here's what's...
Alistair Nicholas
Sep 30, 20215 min read
55 views
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Nuclear sub deal brings Australia out of the past, but more to be done before first boat sets sail
Having worked on submarine issues in three different incarnations during my career, including most recently on the public affairs...
Alistair Nicholas
Sep 16, 20213 min read
77 views
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History repeats itself in motorcycle volunteerism during pandemic
During the 1919 "Spanish Flu" pandemic, motorcyclists were at the forefront of volunteering in Australia to assist community efforts. In...
Alistair Nicholas
Sep 13, 20212 min read
46 views
2 comments


Crossbenchers rule – so include them in your government relations strategy
A recent poll has shown that crossbenchers will continue to hold the balance of power in the Senate after the next Federal election. That...
Alistair Nicholas
May 4, 20212 min read
27 views
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Managing geopolitical risk in an uncertain world
This week I was honoured to join a panel discussion on the challenges of managing geopolitical risks in an increasingly uncertain and...
Alistair Nicholas
Apr 23, 20211 min read
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Vale Andrew Peacock - a personal reflection
Former Liberal Party leader, foreign minister and Ambassador to the United States The Hon. Andrew Peacock AC GCL passed away in Austin,...
Alistair Nicholas
Apr 17, 20214 min read
44 views
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Crisis management insurance critical to reputation protection
In my more than 30 years career it has never ceased amazing me how many companies let a bad situation get worse by failing to engage a...
Alistair Nicholas
Mar 22, 20212 min read
42 views
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Right to presumption of innocence and legal (and PR) representation is fundamental
I cannot help but be amused by the furore surrounding MinterEllison’s CEO Annette Kimmit’s apology to the law firm’s staff for the “pain...
Alistair Nicholas
Mar 12, 20215 min read
175 views
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Political donations and influence: do you really need to pay to influence government policy?
It’s that time of year again – when the previous financial year’s political donations are published by the Federal Electoral Commission,...
Alistair Nicholas
Feb 2, 20214 min read
150 views
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Does Trump have a narrow path to victory in the 2020 US Presidential election?
So far polls coming out of the US suggest that Democrat candidate Joe Biden will win this year's presidential election hands down. But...
Alistair Nicholas
Nov 2, 20201 min read
29 views
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