TNAG-2019-FCO40-2881-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Australia-1990 — Page 27

THE PROGRAMME:

BARRIE WIGGHAM/AUST PAGE 2

Certain points need to be made in relation to the content of the final programme:

(1) There was generally more interest in the visit at all

levels because it was seen as a "first" by a Hong Kong Government official. We were also able to market Barrie Wiggham as "Mr 1997".

(2) We were able to access senior banking executives and

key executives of business groups because of our ongoing relationship with these people through our own publication. Similarly, we were able to access senior editors because of my/our credibility as journalists/publishers rather than a public relations/lobbying outfit. I do not believe that a public relations firm could have put this programme together.

(3) The assistance of Penny Wensley in co-ordinating the

Canberra programme (and in encouraging Foreign Affairs officials in NSW and Victoria to assist) should be fully recognised. The address to the Pacific Institute in Melbourne, for example (see Appendix 1) was entirely at the initiative, and due to the influence of the Regional Director of Foreign Affairs in Melbourne.

Summary: This programme was put together at an extremely high level because of a combination and circumstances and the Government should resist any temptation to try for a repeat in the near future. See next page on "Impressions".