Strong nature laws: How to organise a meeting with your MP

Meeting your MP or Senators

Politicians are elected to represent their communities. While they frequently receive letters and emails, a request to speak with them directly often garners more attention and makes them more likely to listen. They work for you and want to hear from you as a voter and community representative. You don’t need to be an expert or know everything about nature laws; it’s enough to speak from the heart about the issues you face as a local resident.

You should prioritise meeting your local MP first, as they were elected to represent your area. While you can seek meetings with MPs outside your area, they are more likely to reject requests that don’t come from their constituents. If you can’t speak to the politician directly, you might be invited to speak with a staff member. Treat this meeting with the same importance, as their influence should not be underestimated.

Follow these steps to organise a meeting:

1. Call Their Office: The best way to set up a meeting is to call the office directly. If the person who answers the phone can’t confirm a meeting, ask who manages the MP or Senator’s diary and request to be put in touch with them. You can find your MP and their contact details here on the Parliament of Australia Government website.
2. Email to Confirm Your Request: Follow up immediately after calling with an email detailing your request. Keep it concise, explaining why strong nature laws matter to you and why they should meet with you. Include who you are, where you live, why you’re requesting a meeting, and who else you’re inviting. This should be no more than a few sentences. If the MP or Senator has previously commented on nature laws, praise their positive actions to appear friendly and respectful.
3. Follow Up by Phone: If you haven’t received a response to your email, follow up with a phone call to the electorate office. It’s possible the email was overlooked. You may need to repeat this process a few times.

Tip: Be persistent! It can be challenging to get in contact with MPs or Senators as they are often very busy, with diaries booked weeks or even months in advance. Don’t take a “no” as a rejection or a sign they don’t want to meet. MPs and Senators represent their community and can only do so effectively by meeting with their constituents. 

When meeting with your MP or Senator, you have two options: inviting them to an informal bird or nature walk or requesting a formal meeting in their electorate office.

Pro Tip: These meetings are not mutually exclusive. You can do both! Taking your MP on an informal bird or nature walk is a great soft introduction and provides an easy segue to request a formal meeting to discuss nature laws in more detail. 

Invite them to join you on a bird or nature walk

You don’t always need to meet your MP or Senator in their electorate office. Taking them out into nature for a bird or nature walk is an effective way to hold conversations in an environment where you’re more comfortable and where you can clearly showcase the birds in your community.

This can be a powerful tactic! It gets your MP or Senator out of their office and into their local community, allowing them to experience nature with their senses. They will see and hear the birds you care deeply about, creating a more meaningful experience. Plus, it offers a great photo opportunity they can share on their social media accounts.

Pro Tip: Ask your MP or Senator if you can take photos during the bird walk, including a group shot at the end. Check if it’s okay to post these on your social media feed summarising the meeting and if they mind being tagged. 

Formal Meeting

A formal meeting with your MP or Senator is the pinnacle of the engagement pyramid and is the most influential way to discuss nature laws. This meeting will give you an opportunity to explain why you care about this issue in detail, ask for your MP or Senator’s views, and seek a verbal commitment from them on what steps, if any, they will take to follow up on the matter.

• When preparing for the formal meeting, create an agenda and stick to it. Your time with your MP or Senator may be limited, so make sure to use it effectively. Remember, engagement is not a one-time effort. Regular check-ins help build a healthy working relationship.
• During the meeting, bring a notetaker to record commitments and note any questions that arise. Addressing questions from an engaged MP or Senator where practical will help develop a strong working relationship and provide an opportunity for follow-up communications.
• Always conclude the conversation with a clear call to action. Specify what you are asking your MP or Senator to do about nature laws.
• We have also provided additional materials that you can leave with your MP or Senator, detailing nature laws and what actions we are requesting.
• Wrap up the meeting by thanking them for their time and committing to follow up in a few weeks regarding any commitments they have made.

The BirdLife Campaigns Team is here to support you throughout this process. If you have any questions or need some additional support to meet with your MP contact BirdLife’s Conservation Community Organiser, Logan Costa at logan.costa@birdlife.org.au.

Tools for engaging with your local MP or Senator: