Bob Lawrence

Bob Lawrence is an Account Director with the Australian PR firm Jackson Wells Morris.

A biographical note states that prior to joining JWM, Lawrence worked as "press secretary to Revenue Minister Senator Helen Coonan, and later as press secretary to Tourism and Small Business Minister Joe Hockey. He also worked for Liberal Party campaign headquarters on the successful 2004 Federal election campaign.

"Bob's entry to journalism was as an ABC cadet in his native Adelaide in 1970. He worked for ABC radio and television in Adelaide and Darwin before being seconded to the National Broadcasting Commission of Papua New Guinea. Returning to Adelaide as a foundation staff member of Australian Associated Press, Bob served as deputy bureau chief and political reporter before joining the staff of Federal Health Minister, Ralph Hunt, as press secretary. In 1979 he traveled to Britain to work with the Conservative Party on Margaret Thatcher's successful election campaign. Back in Adelaide he became a media adviser to the new Tonkin Liberal State government. The lure of Sydney took Bob to AAP's finance desk for several years before a return to politics with the NSW National Party and then the NSW Farmers' Association as director of public relations where he produced a monthly magazine, a radio program, several newsletters and 350 news releases a year. He was involved in lobbying, organising regional tours for political leaders and farmer protests. In 2000, AAP re-employed Bob to help establish its internet financial service which saw him script, read and produce stock exchange reports for home based investors. Before joining JWM he managed the Sydney office of an Adelaide public relations firm specialising in the wine and mining industries," his biographical note states.

In October 2007, Michael Bachelard reported in The Age that Lawrence was representing the controversial religious sect, the Exclusive Brethren. In a statement issued to the paper, JWM wrote that the PR firm "has provided advice to the Brethren on how to deal with some of the issues they face and to engage with a hostile media. In recent years, sections of the media have subjected the Brethren to unwarranted scrutiny bordering on harassment. It has been a witch- hunt. If the Brethren had been given a fair hearing they would be much better understood, like any other church or religious organisation."

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Exclusive Brethren/Australian Federal Election, 2004
 * Exclusive Brethren/Australian Federal Election, 2007
 * Exclusive Brethren/New Zealand election, 2005
 * Exclusive Brethren/Tasmanian State election, 2006