Mike Baird takes his social media adviser on a trip to Israel
MIKE Baird’s social media adviser has joined the NSW Premier’s week-long trip to the Holy Land, with the Facebook guru already posting a pensive photo of his boss gazing across Jerusalem.
NSW
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MIKE Baird’s social media adviser has joined the NSW Premier’s week-long trip to the Holy Land, with the Facebook guru already posting a pensive pic of his boss gazing across Jerusalem.
The news comes as social media adviser Tony Story continues to play an increasingly central role in the NSW Premier’s brand a+nd as Mr Baird’s office confirmed that Mr Story’s trip was being funded by the Liberal Party.
The social media adviser — who was paid $30,000 in the lead-up to the state election as a consultant before being employed full-time — has posted the pictures of the Premier in the ancient city on Facebook and Instagram.
The posts also features a caption from Mr Baird saying: “We are in Israel to develop partnerships on medical cannabis research, tech start-ups and tools to better fight cybercrime.”
“I’ll also be visiting the West Bank and meeting with Palestinian officials and seeing how Australian aid funding is being put to use to help refugees.
“I’m told this is the first time a NSW Premier has visited Israel and the West Bank. It’s a privilege to be here.”
The opposition yesterday criticised the trip, which chief of staff Bay Warburton and communications director Imre Salusinszky are also on.
“How many thousands of taxpayers’ dollars is Baird spending on this pollie junket?” the opposition’s wastewatch spokesman Hugh McDermott said.
“This trip is meant to be about innovation and as far as I can see the only innovative part is taking your social media adviser.’’
The entourage also includes Mr Baird’s wife Kerryn, Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, Chief Scientist Mary O’Kane and medical cannabis advocate Lucy Haslam.
A spokesman for the Premier said: “As two media advisers are accompanying the Premier to Israel, we decided to ask the Liberal Party to pay for flights and accommodation of one media adviser, which has been agreed.
“This means the staffing arrangements for Israel are consistent with the Premier’s previous trade missions to India, China, Japan and South Korea.’’
Mr Baird has not tweeted since the evening of the Brussels terror attack, when a text from Mr Story to him drafting a social media post for Facebook and Twitter was accidentally posted on the latter platform.
That tweet, later deleted, said: ““Tweet/FB option. Sydney, and all of NSW, stands with you Brussels”.
The tweet without the “Tweet/FB option” later ran.
That mistake occurred after Mr Baird was savaged on Facebook over a post defending his lockout laws.
The Daily Telegraph revealed last year Mr Story was paid $30,000 over four months in the lead-up to the state election as a consultant before being employed fulltime in Mr Baird’s office.
Mr Story was also responsible for an election night photo of Mike and Kerryn Baird sharing an intimate moment, which appeared very similar to one taken of Barack Obama and posted on social media after his re-election as US President in 2012.
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