ABC Should Declare on Gunns March 30, 2010 - 4:44PM From the SMH...

ABC Should Declare on Gunns March 30, 2010 - 4:44PM
From the SMH

Spinner Sue Cato�s appearance on the ABC�s Q and A on Monday should have come with a quick declaration about her commercial interest in Tasmanian forestry firm Gunns.





Cato is the founder and principal partner of Cato Counsel, a PR firm which spins for a number of major Australia corporates. As of early-2008 firm Gunns is a client.

Monday�s Q and A was always likely to discuss Gunns' controversial Bell Bay pulp mill proposal given the presence of Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim on the panel.

Given the ABC's strict ethics code would have thought somebody might have mentioned Cato�s interest when the discussion turned to the topic.

In fact, Cato was the first to bring up the mill during a discussion about the federal political relevance of the Greens strong showing in the recent Tasmanian election.

SUE CATO: But Labor Party, Greens and Liberals. Can I put my hand up for the Tasmanian economy? I mean, we�ve now got a hung parliament. We�ve got the Greens who, if you look at - what is it? The $300 million Walker Development and the mill. You�re against that. How do you actually create...
NICK MCKIM: We might come to that a bit later, I hope.
GRAHAM RICHARDSON: I hope we do.
SUE CATO: I mean, I suppose I look at people in Tasmania who actually also want to be employed. And while - can I tell you, I�m probably Greener than a lot of my comrades. I mean, the simple fact is people have got to be employed in Tasmania and in this last campaign, you know, you guys were campaigning on other issues, but what happens now to the economy of Tasmania with a hung parliament where there are no decisions being taken.

Later there was a question from the audience about the proposed mill. McKim answered, but Cato broke in to ask a question.

NICK MCKIM: Well, look, the parliament has already dealt with the pulp mill. We didn�t support the pulp mill legislation. Our policy will remain the same as it�s always been. We don�t support the pulp mill and I think our position on logging of high conservation value forests is very well known.
SUE CATO: Nick, can I ask a question? What is a high conservation valued forest because I�ve not heard that...
NICK MCKIM: Oh, it�s a forest that�s been scientifically assessed as having high conservation value.
SUE CATO: I haven�t heard that technical term. Okay. Interesting.

Then McKim and Cato got involved in this interaction during a discussion about the Greens state legislation to repeal approval for the mill.

NICK MCKIM: Well, it depends on any negotiations that might occur, and I can�t hypothesise about that.
SUE CATO: But, guys, hang on. The Liberal Party and the Labor Party are both supporting the pulp mill.
NICK MCKIM: That�s right.
SUE CATO: So it�s not like you�re going to get your repeal bill up and I suppose my question is...
NICK MCKIM: Well, we won�t have the numbers to do that.
SUE CATO: So, okay, so what you�re saying then is it�s a non-issue. But my big question is, does that mean we�re going to have incredible boring government because no one is going to do anything interesting or exciting or show leadership?

At no point during these exchanges was the connection between Cato and Gunns made clear.

Cato may have been expressing a deeply held personal view about the pulp mill (though the ��probing questions�� feel a little disingenuous). Cato has also become a ��commentator�� in her own right � which is how the Q and A website tags her on their front page.

But a declaration about the Cato�s commercial interests is imperative.

This is Cato Council�s entry as of the 15 January 2010 on the government�s lobbyist, which can also be found here (Bold text are Greenlines).

Lobbyist Details
Business Entity Name: Cato Counsel
A.B.N: 93103996952
Trading Name: Cato Counsel
Details of all persons or employees who conduct lobbying activities
Name:
Position: Simon Crittle
Communications Advisor
Name:
Position: Kristin Silva
Senior Advisor
Name:
Position: Graham CassidyCommunications Advisor
Name:
Position: Sue Cato
Principal

Client Details
Name: Pacific Brands
Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
The Benevolent Society
Museum of Contemporary Art
Alcatel-Lucent Australiasia
The Crane Group
Gunns Limited
Telstra Corporation Limited
KPMG Corporate Finance (Aust) Pty Ltd

Gunns hired Cato Counsel in 2008 after its share price collapsed, chief investor in the Bell Bay pulp mill project � ANZ � walked away, and a swell of negative publicity.

Sue Cato does not deal with the day-to-day spinning for Gunns (that is Cato Counsel senior advisor Matthew Horan). But she would surely come into contact with issues of the broad strategic direction of Gunns publicity and its attempts to attract finance for the struggling pulp mill project.

All this should not suggest Cato�s appearance on Q and A isn�t welcome. On a panel heavy with current and former politicians she had some interesing points of views off the party script on a range of issues. And having somebody involved in the dark arts (public relations) is always revealing.

Nor does Greenlines want to make a judgment of the Gunns mill's merits or otherwise.

But viewers have a right to know about Cato�s clients if she is going to present as a ''commentator'' on issues of companies under her brief - especially an issue as heated as this.

And if Cato isn't going to make the connection clear, and it is not necessarily her imperative to do so, then the ABC should.

P.S. Why did nobody mention the shirt one questioner was wearing which stated host Tony Jones� emerging catch phrase � ��I�ll take that as a comment��?! Best joke since Human Achievement Hour.