Our Work

Community Engagement

Interacting with the community, ranging from information sharing to community consultation and active participation in decision making, is all part of the community engagement process expected of governments, companies and organisations by today’s communities.

Effective community engagement allows communities to participate in the decision making process, which enables organisations to consider diverse opinions and solutions to help inform in its decisions.

Clifton consultants have managed community relations for some of the most contentious issues in the water, infrastructure, corrections, health and education sectors, to name just a few.

Government Relations - State

The role of government - federal, state and local - is having an increasing influence on corporate decision-making.

For more than two decades Clifton's understanding of the processes of all tiers of government has been invaluable to our clients. We have been able to introduce information and often alternative solutions to problems on their behalf to government that have ensured successful outcomes.

At the same time, the close relationship we have with government and the respect generated over many years has resulted in governments - federal, state and local - retaining Clifton to assist with major communications and community engagement programs.

Government Relations - Local

There are 79 councils in Victoria each delivering services in health, planning and building control, business and economic development, waste and environmental management, assistance and community services.  Councils are a significant contributor to the Victorian economy, employing over 50,000 people and each year spending more than $7 billion on service delivery, $2 billion on infrastructure and managing over $70 billion in public assets.

Councils have expanded as the needs of communities extend and interdependence with other levels of government continues to grow.  They are constantly in need of communication assistance.

Anti-corruption training for state authorities

The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) investigates allegations of corruption and criminal activities within local councils as well as the Victorian government and state authorities.

Our corruption avoidance program provides local councils and state authorities with essential training to recognise corruption in the workforce.

We help you identify staff criminality and understand management liability.

Issues Management

The effective monitoring and management of emerging issues that have the potential to threaten profitability and damage an organisation's reputation has never been more necessary.

The increasing presence of social media in a global marketplace means that corporate performance in one region of the world can impact brand image, corporate reputation and financial wellbeing internationally.

Anticipating, detecting and responding appropriately to emerging or sudden challenges is an important part of the Clifton skillset.

Handled and addressed correctly, issues that threaten an organisation can be totally avoided or their impact minimised.

Stakeholder Communications

Stakeholders include employees, suppliers, customers, unions, investors, shareholders, neighbours, government authorities and regulators.  All can impact an organisation and effective communications with them is essential.

Clifton understands that different stakeholders have different interests, attitudes and priorities. We ensure that they receive effective communication that is relevant to their needs and helps in building positive attitudes to the relevant organisation or project.

Media Strategy and Relations

The media - traditional or social - plays an increasingly important role in the daily life of Australians, business and government. Effective media management remains a vital part of the communications mix.

Clifton's media team is skilled at monitoring issues through all media platforms and using their extensive contacts to inform stakeholders of a client's position, policies and practices in a positive, consistent and credible manner. 

We are experienced in generating positive media coverage of an event, company or corporate initiative and at minimising coverage of an adverse event - often a more critical task.

With long-standing clients in the chemical, quarrying, packaging and corrections sectors we are accustomed to assisting clients who are in the media spotlight.  We also enjoy promoting the success of clients in these and other industries.

Supporting a Tender

Leading companies have long been aware that merely responding to a tender is only part of the process of winning government contracts.

Is the company or consortium respected within the industry and by government?  How can its profile be lifted and its support base increased?

Does the consortium fully understand the various pressures being applied to the decision making process which is rarely, if ever, just about dollars?

Clifton is adept at assisting a bidder position itself favourably with government and key stakeholders such as local council and unions.  We also gather intelligence from within government circles and establish fruitful dialogue with the media and key community members.