Asian tsunami: managing the NZ media

1
Asian tsunami managing the NZ media

• Brad Tattersfield
• Communications Manager
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

2
MFAT role

• Provision of consular services (assistance to
  NZers overseas)
• Main task in crises to coordinate NZ response,
  especially helping victims and locating missing
  NZers
• Rising public expectation of NZ govt assistance
  to NZers overseas

3
Crises MFAT media objective

• To achieve and maintain public confidence in the
  governments handling of the situation, through
  full, timely and appropriate release of
  information and explanation of strategy
• Media can play a constructive role, but also
  reflect/drive public perceptions - they can
  directly shape the operation and outcomes

4
Tsunami key features

• Biggest consular emergency weve faced
• Slowish response initially due to holiday
  absences, but worked well once up and running
• Lessons of Bali applied inter-agency
  coordination, ERT deployed, Red X call centre used

5
Tsunami media management

• Minister fronted most media eased pressure on
  officials
• We issued regular updates which served as talking
  points for Minister, ourselves and posts
• Media management rated highly
• Problems multiple missing lists, privacy
  considerations, coordination with Phuket, no
  media person with ERT