Matthew Purcell

• Through a strong relationship with the Member for Southern Downs, James Lister MP, I was put in touch with the Member for Mudgeeraba, Ros Bates MP, after a job opening had arisen
• Mr Lister recommended me for the role
• In the past two years I have served as Ms Bates’ Assistant Electorate Officer and been charged with maintaining her social media and helping run the office in Mudgeeraba

Key Responsibilities:

• Varied office duties
• Helping build and foster relationships with constituents and community organisations
• Oversight of the Members diary
• Running the Members social media
• Dealing with constituent issues
• Dealing with issues relating to the Members portfolio of Shadow Health, Ambulance Services, Medical Research and Women
• Use of Feedback and data entry
• Writing letters of representation, media releases and speeches
• Attending meetings and functions alongside the Member.

• I came back to Stanthorpe as the Senior Journalist and was tasked with reporting on the issues that mattered to the Granite Belt
• It was also my role to help oversee and nurture the development of cadet and lesser-experienced journalists, maintain our online and social media platforms and act as an editor for our print editions

Key Responsibilities:

• Regular communication with colleagues across News Corp
• Keeping a clear and positive line of communication to our bosses, based at the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane
• Participate in training and team building at News Corps’ Bowen Hills offices
• Foster confidence in cadet journalists to think for themselves and not be afraid to take initiative
• Growing the mastheads relationships and contacts with the entire region.

• Through the strong relationships I built within the NSW State Government I was offered a role as a media adviser
• The former Member for Lismore, Thomas George, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall and former Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, I’m told, recommended me to Mr Bromhead
• I served in my role for just over 12 months, cutting my time short due to personal reasons
• I split my time between the Myall Lakes electorate and Sydney, where I often worked at NSW Parliament House

Key Responsibilities:

• As media adviser I often spent a lot of my time with Mr Bromhead on the road travelling around the electorate meeting with members and groups within the region
• Writing media releases, speeches, editorials, taking photos, putting out newsletters, maintaining social media and online
• Office duties such as receiving and sending letters, as well as taking phone calls from the public, overseeing Mr Bromhead’s diary and appointments
• Working closely with office colleagues in both the electorate and Sydney offices.

• At a time of transition for Fairfax Media (now owned by Nine Entertainment Co) my role was rebranded
• Instead of working solely in one town, I was trusted to work across several newspapers and towns
• I spent varied durations in Armidale (Armidale Express), Tamworth (Northern Daily Leader), Inverell (Inverell Times), Moree (Moree Champion), Gunnedah (Namoi Valley Independent) and Glen Innes (Glen Innes Examiner)
• It was a difficult role, but one that helped me grow as a journalist
• I was tasked with ensuring the newspapers continued to print, maintain an online presence and support existing staff
• Through this experience I built relationships and friendships that last to this day

Key Responsibilities:

• Producing valid and important news content to towns largely foreign to me
• Boosting morale in offices that had seen a lot of change and losses in staff
• Supporting the pre-existing journalists under trying conditions.

• I took on my first paid role as a journalist in Tenterfield, initially working alongside an onsite editor
• Shortly after her role was made redundant and for most of my time with the newspaper I operated alone
• While there was other office staff, I was the only journalist producing the weekly paper
• It was a baptism of fire, but, an experience I took on and believe made me a better journalist and employee.

• I was offered an opportunity to learn the ropes of journalism while undertaking a Bachelor of Media and Communications with Griffith University
• A former editor of the Warwick Daily News got me in at the Border Post where I worked for several months voluntarily
• It taught me a lot and was a more beneficial experience, in my opinion, than those I acquired through university
• The time worked out for the best, helping me land my first paid job as a journalist.