Public relations and publicity
Building the national and international profile of a biotechnology company producing the world's most advanced artificial heart, which saw its share price rise from 19 cents to more than $1; and the promotion of products and personnel for companies as diverse as Fujitsu Australia and Statewide Superannuation Trust and Coca-Cola Amatil and National Dairies.
Internal and external communications
SA Water: In the mid 1990s Peter Baker handled the internal and external communications for the first stage of what at the time was the world's biggest outsourcing contract - the corporatisation of the management of South Australia's water supply and wastewater treatment.
Communications audits
SA Government: A whole of government audit of departmental publicity functions which recommended major changes resulting in the saving of more than $2 million was accepted by the Premier.
Sydney Water: An extensive review of the organisation's internal and external communications with the public, other Government agencies and within the organisation during the 1998 water crisis.
Business & Government: Fujitsu Australia, Red Cross, SA Consumer Affairs Commissioner, Carter Holt Harvey and MicroMedical Industries.
Government liaison
Optometry: For the past 15 years Australia's largest optical dispenser, OPSM, used Peter Baker's services to prepare complex submissions and advise on how to change legislation which prevented the commercial ownership of optometry. Successful campaigns were run in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and New South Wales.
Pastoral industry: A four year campaign conducted for the pastoral industry in three States resulted in the Federal Government withdrawing a planned nomination of the Lake Eyre Basin for inclusion on the World Heritage List, which would have had crippling financial consequences for the industry.
Physiotherapy: The preparation of a strategy covering mutual recognition for the physiotherapy profession.
Issues management
Industrial action: A strategy of keeping the media and public informed turned around early gains made by the trade union during a prolonged strike by workers at South Australia's largest milk processing facility which crippled the distribution of milk.
Mill closures: The sale of five Government-owned timber mills to a private company - and the future closure of two mills - had implications for all employees, especially those with long service. Their concerns were successfully dealt with through an internal communications program and the transition from Government employment was achieved smoothly.
Tainted seafood: A shipment of canned seafood imported to Australia from Canada was found to be tainted with diesel fuel soon after it had been distributed around the country. The role of public relations proved to be critical in maintaining the strong public acceptance of the brand in the successful national product recall.
Sexual abuse: Allegations of sexual abuse of inmates at an orphanage run by an order of nuns 40 years ago and claims of sexual abuse of students at a leading Adelaide college and primary schools in the 1990s were sympathetically handled by our strategies.
