EP#182: From crisis to TikTok: Rethinking Government comms

What do bushfires, TikTok, and police comms have in common?For Kendall Masters, they’ve each shaped a sharp, no-nonsense approach to government communication.In this episode, she joins David Pembroke to unpack what it really takes to build trust, cut through the noise, and connect with the public — especially when time and attention are in short supply.Kendall shares lessons in agility, authenticity, and strategic clarity, from rolling out TikTok with Victoria Police to managing emergency comms during the 2019–20 bushfires and COVID-19. They explore the limits of video, the myth of reach-for-the-sake-of-it, and why good reporting is about more than numbers — it’s about telling the right story to the right people.Discussed in this episode:Moving from traditional media to digital-first commsLessons from bushfire and COVID-19 emergency responseWhen video works — and when it doesn’tLaunching TikTok with  Victoria PoliceDitching vanity metrics for meaningful reportingBuilding skilled, strategic comms teamsShow notes:TikTok | Victoria PoliceBlog | GovComms PodcastLinkedIn | GovComms Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.