Influence change: Your guide to engaging with decision-makers
Why engaging with politicians is important for creating change
Engaging with politicians is a powerful way to drive real change in your community. Whether it’s at the local, state, or national level, your elected representatives are responsible for shaping the policies and laws that affect everyday lives. By raising your concerns, sharing your ideas, and advocating for solutions, you can help influence their decisions and ensure the issues that matter to you and your community are heard and acted upon. Every conversation counts, and by engaging, you become an active part of the change you want to see. While contacting politicians may seem daunting, it’s important to remember that they’re there to represent you. That’s their job!
The following toolkit aims to empower individuals like you to feel confident when engaging with your political representatives.
Understanding political decision-makers
Who can you approach about your concerns?
Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected representatives who represent a particular electorate (location) at either the federal level, or in a state or territory. They debate and pass legislation. You can find your local federal member by searching for your electorate here.
Queensland Cabinet Ministers are MPs appointed by the Prime Minister or State Premier to be responsible for specific government departments and portfolios. You can find a list of federal Cabinet Ministers here.
Each of these roles plays a crucial part in shaping and implementing policies and decisions. Before making contact with an MP or Cabinet Minister, it’s important to find out what level of government is responsible for your issue – is it a state, federal, or local government responsibility? And if contacting a Cabinet Minister, try to find out which portfolio your issue falls within. For instance, animal welfare policy decisions typically fall within agriculture portfolios overseen by Ministers for Agriculture. A list of federal government portfolios can be found here.
Ways to engage with politicians
To get your MP to listen, it's important to stand out. You can organise a meeting, have a phone call, send them a letter, or engage on social media.
MPs and Ministers receive many letters and emails, so personal meetings or phone calls usually make a bigger impact. While Ministers don’t usually meet with general constituents, MPs do, and often, they will contact the relevant Minister on your behalf. You don't need to be an expert; showing up as a concerned member of their electorate is enough.
Organise a meeting:
You can arrange a one-on-one meeting or go as part of a small group (3-6 people) to increase your chances of being heard but avoid overwhelming the MP with too many voices. Here are some steps to help you get the most out of your meeting:
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To request a meeting, start with a friendly email. You should be able to find the contact details for your local MP by googling their name (contact details for federal MPs are listed here). If you can’t find an email address or online contact form, give their electorate office a call.
Once you have their email address, make your request clear and concise about who you are, why you wish to meet, and what you want to discuss. Tailor the request to highlight why the issue matters to you and to other constituents in the electorate. If you haven’t heard back within 10 days, follow up with a friendly phone call to the MP’s electorate office. Try to identify the Diary Manager who manages the MP’s schedule and follow up with a written request to this person.
Don’t be afraid to be persistent but always be respectful. MPs are busy people but they want to hear from local constituents. Sometimes it just takes a bit of time. Keep trying until you get a meeting or otherwise receive a definitive response.
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While you don’t need to be an expert, it’s important to research the issue you are concerned about before organising a meeting. This may involve gathering facts, statistics, and personal stories that align with the issue to help make your case stronger. You should also research common counterarguments and prepare a response. We recommend creating a short briefing document with key points about your issue, why it concerns you, and what you would like the MP to do.
If attending as a group, choose people who can help tell a compelling story and show community support for your issue, and agree beforehand who is going to take the lead in speaking. If multiple people will speak, ensure everyone knows their assigned roles to enable a smooth discussion.
We also recommend doing some background research on the MP themselves. Learn about their political party, their stance on your issue, any government or opposition roles they hold, and their values or concerns for their community. Research their public statements, parliamentary speeches, and causes they support. Reviewing their Facebook and other social media accounts can be a good way of finding out this information, as well as their interests outside of politics.
Gathering this information will give you important context and help you to find areas of commonality with the MP. It’s also a good idea to ensure you know how to pronounce their name. MPs usually bring staff to meetings, so be prepared for that as well.
By aligning your message with their past engagement or positions on similar issues, you can increase the chances of resonating with them and encouraging their support. Being both prepared and strategic in your approach makes your advocacy far more effective.
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We recommend bringing the following items to your meeting:
A summary of key points to review before the meeting ends.
A brief (1-2 page) document with case studies, your request, and contact details to leave behind.
A camera or phone for taking a photo at the end of the meeting.
It’s best to give the MP any briefing materials at the end of the meeting to avoid distractions during your discussion. Bring three or four copies of your resources, including for any staff (advisers) present.
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Meetings are typically short (15-20 minutes), so ensure you are on time and prepared. During your meeting you should focus on one key issue. We suggest breaking the meeting down into four components:
Welcome and Introductions
Introduce yourselves and your role within the community.
Thank the MP for making the time to meet with you
Mention any relevant topics of interest to the MP based on your research.
Present Your Case
Clearly outline the issue and its importance to you and the community.
Share any evidence you may have to support your case, as well as personal and community stories. Limit yourself to one or two case studies or personal stories that are relevant to the issue.
Propose a clear solution – what needs to change.
Specify what you want the MP to do – raise the issue in Parliament, discuss it with their party or the relevant Minister, or advocate locally.
Speak confidently in your own words. If you don’t know something, it’s okay to say so. The goal is to show you care, not to display extensive knowledge.
Engage in Discussion
Be open to learning new information, such as political challenges or support for your issue.
Pay attention to the MP's reactions and adjust your presentation accordingly. Dive deeper into topics they find interesting and avoid over-explaining areas where they show little interest.
Be sure to allow space for the MP to ask questions or give their own personal perspective.
Address objections or questions as they arise.
What happens if the MP doesn’t agree with me? Don’t be deterred. Ask questions about why they don’t agree, politely respond with any relevant counterarguments, express understanding for their point of view, and try to find common ground. If none can be found, don’t be afraid to express your disappointment. MPs will generally try to leave a favourable impression with constituents – it’s in their interest to do so! So, even if there is a disagreement on policy, the MP will respect you for bringing your concern to their attention.
Conclude and Confirm Commitments
Recap the key points and confirm any commitments made during the meeting.
Summarise action items for each participant, with timelines.
Ask for a contact person for follow-up and confirm when the MP will act on your request.
Hand over your briefing document (with contact details), express thanks to the MP and their staff, and request a photo.
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After your meeting, send a follow-up email within 48 hours to thank the MP and provide any promised information. In this email, also remind the MP of any commitments they made during the meeting and note any additional information they agreed to provide. Documenting these commitments helps ensure accountability.
Stick to the timelines discussed during the meeting and set reminders to follow up before deadlines. If you don't get a response within a week or by the agreed deadline, follow up again politely. Be patient, as MPs manage many issues, but persistent to ensure promised actions are taken.
You may also like to engage with the MP on social media. This can help develop your relationship and give you more influence. If you do not agree with your MP’s position on the issue you are discussing, don’t be afraid to express the reasons for why you disagree, but we still recommend maintaining a positive relationship with them to facilitate further discussion.
Have a phone call:
Having a phone call with an MP is similar to having a physical meeting. It’s important to follow the same steps as above. It’s very important to be prepared with a short introduction, your key points, and what you would like the MP to do.
Send them a letter or email:
Letters and emails are a great way to start a discussion with your local MP or raise an issue with the relevant Minister. Politicians do receive hundreds of letters, so it is important to keep your letter short, concise and respectful.
What do I write in an email or letter?
Make sure your subject line is clear and engaging. In your email, briefly introduce yourself and your issue. In your opening paragraph, get straight to the point by letting them know who you are (including which suburb you live in), why you are writing, and any request you are making from your opening.
Then, include a short paragraph describing your issue and why it’s important to you. Including facts and figures will strengthen your argument and help get your point across in a more convincing manner. Make sure that you’re concise and not vague.
After describing the issue, include a paragraph outlining what you would like the MP or Minister to do. You can set this out as clear dot points to make it easy for them to enact.
Lastly, close with a paragraph thanking them for their time and state that you look forward to their response.
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SUBJECT: Call for the Establishment of an Independent Office of Animal Welfare
Dear [Member of Parliament's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am a resident of [Your Suburb/Electorate]. I am writing to express my strong support for the establishment of an Independent Office of Animal Welfare in Australia.
Animal welfare is an issue close to the hearts of many Australians, including myself. While various laws and regulations exist to protect animals, enforcement and oversight often fall short. The current system, where animal welfare responsibilities are managed by Departments of Agriculture with inherent conflicts of interest, can erode public trust and compromise the care and protection animals deserve.
Over 80% of Australians believe animal welfare policy decisions should be made by an independent and impartial body, and over two-thirds believe this should be an independent government agency focused on animal welfare, while only 22% believe it should be the Department of Agriculture.
An Independent Office of Animal Welfare would serve as a dedicated, impartial body to oversee animal welfare policy, monitor compliance with regulations, and ensure accountability across all sectors. Such an office would help:
Strengthen animal protection laws through evidence-based recommendations.
Ensure transparency and accountability in the enforcement of animal welfare standards.
Promote community trust by separating oversight from potential conflicts of interest.
Support sustainable practices in industries that work with animals, benefiting both the economy and animal well-being.
Establishing this office would reflect our nation’s commitment to compassion and fairness, values I believe we all share. With growing public awareness and concern for animal welfare, this initiative would demonstrate strong leadership and proactive governance.
I urge you, as my elected representative, to advocate for the creation of an Independent Office of Animal Welfare. Please let me know where you stand on this issue and whether you would support its establishment.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.
Kind regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Email Address]
[Your Phone Number]
Engage on social media:
Start engaging with decision-makers on Facebook, Instagram or X, by following them and interacting with their posts. Leaving comments and sharing posts with comments is a great way to start discussions, but please remember to be polite, as it will increase the likelihood of them replying. You can also tag them in your posts and use hashtags where appropriate to engage with a wider conversation about the issue.
Download the full guide
The toolkit includes key talking points that you might like to mention during your discussions with MPs.