Eamonn Fitzpatrick

Eamonn Fitzpatrick is the Communications Director with the Australian lobbying firm Hawker Britton.

A biographical note states that prior to joining Hawker Britton, Fitzpatrick was Director of Communications to New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma. "In that critical role he oversaw the NSW Government’s strategic communications and media relations, working closely with Ministers, staffers, government agencies and MPs during Iemma’s first 18 months as Premier until after the 2007 State election. Eamonn worked in a range of portfolios including transport, roads and police during nine years with the NSW Government, including four years with Treasurer Michael Costa," his biographical note states.

"A former Sydney Morning Herald reporter, Eamonn maintains excellent long-term relationships with a wide network of journalists at all levels across television, radio and the print media. He offers Hawker Britton clients high level strategic communications and media relations advice - including crisis media management and media training - and an unrivalled insight into the workings of the Australian news media," his biographical note states.

Fitzpatrick and Labor
In January 2006, Sydney Morning Herald journalist Andrew Clennell reviewed what had happened to the key political advisers fo former Labor Premier, Bob Carr. One was Walt Secord, who was Carr's communications director from 1995 until July 27 2005 when Carr resigned. Clennell went on to describe Fitzpatrick as the "new Walt".

Another journalist, Brad Norignton, illustrated Fitzpatrick's spinning style following the leaders' debate for the 2007 NSW election. During the debate Fitzpatrick dispatched seven text messages to the state parliament press gallery extolling the virtues of Labor Premier Morris Iemma's performance and ridiculing that of his Liberal opponent, Peter Debnam.

Following Iemma's seemingly unlikely win in the 2007 state election, Simon Benson from the The Daily Telegraph cited Iemma as describing NSW Labor's Mark Arbib, Ieamma's chief of staff Mike Kaiser, and Fitzpatrick as "the best in the business".

External articles

 * Andrew Clennell and Anne Davies, "Muscle Men In The Shadows", Sydney Morning Herald, February 17, 2007.
 * Simon Benson, "Arbib's mastermind campaign", The Daily Telegraph, March 26, 2007.
 * "Tips and rumours", Crikey, March 27, 2008. (Scroll down).