Ben Hart Email & Phone Number

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne, Australia

Preston, Victoria, Australia

Since its establishment in 1983 in Fitzroy, Gertrude Contemporary has become a powerful force in Melbourne’s contemporary art scene, supporting emerging artists at critical points in their careers through its renowned exhibition and studio programs.Gertrude Contemporary’s role as an incubator has made a real difference to the lives and creative output of hundreds of artists who have participated in the 2-year studio program, whose work is now celebrated in galleries across Australia and around the world.

Melbourne, Australia

The Level Crossing Removal Authority is the Victorian Government body responsible for delivering the flagship $6.9 billion project to remove 50 level crossings across metropolitan Melbourne.The newly-formed position of Director of Media and Content brought together the media relations, social media and government relations staff, with a focus on developing a more strategic approach to content development and deliver across the authority.During my time in the role I:- Oversaw the development of a new External Engagement Strategy for the CEO.- Developed a Media and Content Framework, which articulated a vision for communications at the Authority which focused on whole-of-project messaging and impactful storytelling about the social, economic and community benefits of level crossing removal.- Developed improved internal processes around communications support for Freedom of Information Requests.- Oversaw various team forming activities.- Commissioned new content products, such as the 'Getting on with the job' video.- Acted as a media spokesperson for the authority across metropolitan and community media outlets.

Melbourne, Australia

• Responsibility for leading a team of 10, focusing on driving engagement, stabilising the team and providing dedicated leadership to reduce attrition;• Successfully developed of strategies across communications (digital and traditional) to ensure the articulation of a consistent story, prioritising content development to drive web traffic;• Provide around the clock communications contact with the Minister’s office, demonstrating a dedicated and responsive approach to aiding the management of media relations; • Work in partnership with teams across the organisation to deliver planned programs of activity strengthening engagement with the wider community and complex stakeholder environment;• Promote positive messaging to build excitement and support for the agency’s future through the strategic use of content and development of effective marketing collateral. ACHIEVEMENTS:• Conceived, developed and launched ARENA WIRE, a content hub for the agency which become a powerful new communications channel for story-telling and building the profile of the agency’s work;• Drove a 650% increase in web traffic in just two months through redeveloping the website to focus on content via ARENA WIRE. • Produced compelling new content products for the Agency, such as 'Rewired' a podcast that reached the top 20 in the iTunes News and Politics charts, and the short film ‘A Quiet Evolution’ which told the story of ARENA’s regional employment impacts. • Conceived, developed and delivered 'The Business of Renewables' a research report into the takeup of renewble energy among Australian corporates, that became a highly successful thought leadership platform for ARENA and its CEO..• Delivered the Innovating Energy Summit, a high profile event in Parliament House targeting key decision makers.• Transformed team structure and personnel to boost productivity, while reducing headcount by 40%.

Melbourne, Australia

Responsible for all media relations activities at ARENA, including media relations strategy, thought leadership activities, content development strategy and some social media strategy and activity. The role involved managing two direct reports and incorporated speechwriting role.

Melbourne, Australia

Responsible for developing and writing all speeches delivered by the ARENA CEO, selected senior management and Board Chair.

Southbank, Victoria

In this role I produce up to three stories a day on the Radio National Drive program. That involved finding stories, pitching, sourcing talent, writing scripts and editing audio via Netia. I also helped manage the social media for the program with other producers, including posting on Facebook and live-Tweeting the show. I was also proficient in managing content for the program on Core Media.

Melbourne, Australia

During this time I produced for the 774 Mornings program (including producing the Conversation Hour) and also the Drive program. This involved finding stories, pitching, studio producing and managing some web content.

Melbourne, Australia

I worked for Broadsheet, Australia's most successful online food and culture publication, in a number of capacities including as sub-editor and on other general production duties. I also on occasion provide advice to Broadsheet on public relations issues.During my time at Broadsheet I have written a number of articles, links to which can be found below.

Melbourne, Australia

Short-term contract (until October 2015) acting as Communications Manager and doing some additional strategy work. Secured excellent media outcomes, including a opinion piece in Fairfax Business (The Age, SMH), an appearance on ABC 774 Melbourne Faine program and significant coverage for the recent large-scale solar funding announcement - raising awareness of ARENA and its CEO, Ivor Frischknecht.

Melbourne Area, Australia

Responsibilities:• Developing and maintaining relationships with key ministers and their offices across a range of Australian jurisdictions, with a focus on Commonwealth Government. • Briefing the CEO, senior management and Board members on key government policy developments affecting headspace.• Supporting the CEO, senior management and Board members in the organisation’s government relations activities, including attendance at meetings with government representatives, speechwriting and strategic advice. • Developing and maintaining headspace’s status as an influential player in the mental health sector by developing relationships with other key mental health and youth organisations.• Identifying and securing new partnerships with corporate organisations.• Speechwriting for senior management and Board members. Achievements:• Quickly developing relationships with the federal Government following the election of the Coalition Government in 2013, including securing meetings with the Prime Minister’s Office.• Developing Telling the headspace Story; a digital history of the organisation to drive support and engagement among key stakeholders and federal and state government representatives.• Development of a headspace Government Relations Strategy which for the first time gave headspace a framework for engagement with government at a federal, state and local level, including clearly setting out the roles of senior management in their government relations activities. • Developed a headspace Stakeholder Map. This provided a clear picture of the organisations headspace staff were engaging with, what kinds of relationships they had with those organisations, and identified where relationships could be established or improved to the benefit of headspace.

Melbourne Area, Australia

Responsibilities:• Providing strategic communications advice to the Head of Corporate Affairs and the CEO of headspace.• 2IC duties.• High-level media liaison.• Overseeing website and social media activities.• Overseeing event management functions within the Corporate Affairs division.• Spokesperson for headspace across print and radio mediums nationally.• Production of all key corporate documents, including the headspace Annual Report.• Development of expert mental health media spokespeople from the ranks of headspace staff.Achievements:• Developing headspace’s first ever Media Strategy, which lead to a significant increase in the organisation’s profile in the mainstream media during my tenure. • Significantly increasing awareness among journalists, particularly health reporters, about youth mental health issues and the difference headspace has made to the lives of young Australians in providing treatment and support. This involved using contacts cultivated in previous roles to develop headspace champions in the media, such as 3AW presenter Neil Mitchell.• Developing a partnership with ABC Local Radio that saw headspace promotional messages air regularly on the ABC’s 53 local radio stations, across a potential listening audience of millions of Australians, in 2012 and 2013.• Creating an innovative video annual report format for headspace, that aimed to engage key stakeholders and young people in the organisation’s achievements.• Creating a number of media products that sparked community debates and positioned headspace as a leading voice in the youth mental health sector. This included a yearly survey gauging young people’s mental health over the Christmas period and a national debate over mental health language.

Melbourne, Australia

Responsibilities:• Overseeing all communications, marketing and community awareness activities at headspace, including formal oversight of the We’ve Got Your Back national advertising campaign, rolled out in cinemas and through local radio.• Representing Corporate Affairs on the headspace Executive.• Signoff on major campaigns.• Managing 10-person Corporate Affairs team.Achievements:• Overseeing the successful launch of the Fifth Army, a campaign conceived in partnership with major clothing label Cotton On to raise awareness about mental health issues among the company’s predominantly teenage customer base and staff. The campaign was highly successful, increasing headspace’s brand awareness, social network engagement and, significantly engaging headspace centres in the organisation’s community awareness activities.• Overseeing successful sponsorship of Australia’s largest regional music festival Groovin’ the Moo, involving community awareness activations at venues across regional Australia.

Responsibilities:• High-level strategic communications advice to the CEO, senior management and the Board of the AFL Player’s Association.• All media liaison.• Speechwriting for the CEO and Board members.• Spokesperson across TV, radio and print mediums.• Management of the AFL Players’ Association website and all social media activities.• Production of a range of publications, including the AFL Players’ Association Annual Report and key policy documents.Achievements:• Executing a media strategy that generated significant public support for the proposition that AFL players should be better rewarded for their central role in the success of the code. This strategy was acknowledged in the AFL industry as being a key driver in the eventual decision by the AFL to deliver a record $1.14 billion in pay and improved benefits to players as part of a new five-year deal in 2011.• Promoting the Association and its leadership team as a substantial and well-considered voice in the football media landscape.• Guiding the Player’s Association public positioning through a number of high profile incidents. Most notable of these was the handing of controversies surrounding AFL player agent Ricky Nixon in 2011. • Redevelopment of the AFL Players’ Association website, positioning it as player-driven communication channel that allowed the public greater access to the views and off-field endeavours of AFL players. The website became a key tool in generating public support for the AFLPA’s successful campaign to increase its members’ share of the proceeds of AFL football.• Overseeing the development of the official history of the AFL Players’ Association, Hard Ball Gets, a short film that engaged the AFL playing group by telling the story of the establishment and development of the AFLPA.

Responsibilities:• Primary political advisor to Senior Minister and Deputy Upper House Leader Gavin Jennings, who during my tenure held the portfolios of Community Services, Aboriginal Affairs, Aged Care, Environment, Climate Change and Innovation. • Managing the Ministerial Office, including its 12-person staff and office budget.• Overseeing the passage of portfolio legislation through the Parliament.• Key liaison point between the Minister and state government departments.• Senior advisor responsible for the Innovation portfolio (film, television and digital media industries, energy and medical innovation, design).Achievements:• Successful introduction of contentious measures to protect large areas of ecologically significant forest in Victoria, including the creation of the Redgum National Parks and other protected areas along the Murray River. • Direct oversight of the development of the $178 million Victorian Screen Industry Strategy, released in 2009. • Political management of the Brookland Greens Estate controversy (Minister Jennings had responsibility for the Environment Protection Authority), in which hundreds of residents of the suburb were forced to evacuate due to high levels of methane seeping out of a nearby former landfill site.• Overseeing complex negotiations with a range of community groups on issues including recreational use of natural resources (duck hunting, camping) and other local land use issues.

Responsibilities:• Provision of high-level strategic advice to ministers Sheryl Garbutt (Environment, 2002) and Bronwyn Pike (Health, 2002-2004)• Media liaison, including acting as a government portfolio spokesperson.• In the Health portfolio, oversight of the network of media officers working out of Victorian public hospitals.Achievements:• Overseeing the 2002 announcement that the Bracks Government would ban all logging in the Otways Ranges.• Managing a project to reform the way hospital statistics are reported to the public, to increase hospital accountability and public engagement.• Positioning Bronwyn Pike as a key figure in efforts by State Governments to reverse the decline in Federal funding for hospitals, as part of negotiations around the 2005 Commonwealth-State Health Care Agreement.• Media management of numerous high-profile stories highlighting negative patient experiences in Victorian hospitals between 2002-2006.• With the support of communications staff from the Department of Human Services, developing a world-first advertising campaign warning against the dangers and ineffectiveness of fad diets. The $300,000 campaign ran for a number of months and generated a large amount of free media for the minister.

Responsibilities:• Worked on a number of reporting rounds including Courts, Police, General News and Features.Achievements:• Named 2000 Young Journalist of the Year at the Melbourne Press Club Quill Awards, after breaking a number of front-page exclusives during 1999.• Established the Sports Affairs round, covering sports issues in the front of the paper.

In this role I was solely responsible for the fortnightly production of Environmental Standards Update, a publication for the environmental management industry. During my time at the helm, I significantly increased the subscription base, turning ESU into a trusted source of specialist information for the industry.

Bachelor Of Arts, Journalism

This three-year degree provided comprehensive, hand-on training across the three major journalistic disciplines - print, television.

Education record