EXPERT
COMMENT
University
Communications
View RMIT media
releases and
find experts:
rmit.edu.au/newsroom
Subscribe to RMIT RSS feeds: www.rmit.edu.au/rss
MELBOURNE
BRUNSWICK
BUNDOORA
FISHERMANS BEND
POINT COOK
HAMILTON
HO CHI MINH CITY
HANOI
Boral’s dirty tricks campaign
–
Expert available for comment –
In today’s Australian Financial Review, Boral subsidiary Midland has run a full-
page advertisement, apologising for engaging a PR company to undermine a rival
brickworks in Perth.
The dirty tricks campaign falsely claimed that the brickworks would harm the health
of local schoolchildren due to its high level of carcinogens, increase local death
rates and even become a target for terrorists due to its proximity to Perth’s airport.
The admission raises ethical questions for corporate Australia and PR agencies.
How easy is it to manipulate community/grassroots attitudes?
Is ‘astro-turfing’ (rolling out ready-made backlash/opinion) new to Australia?
Why did Boral/Midland run the advertisement today?
Geoff Kelly is an expert on reputation and strategic influence.
He is a sessional lecturer in RMIT’s School of Media and Communication and a PR
practitioner.
Mr Kelly is available for interview.
For comment and interviews: RMIT University’s Geoff Kelly, 0421 112 111.
For general media enquiries: RMIT University Communications, Gosia
Kaszubska, (03) 9925 3176 or 0417 510 735.
30 November, 2009
NEWS 
