Civic hires ex-Labor minister, targets Sydney expansion

Civic, which runs several separate agencies, will relaunch as a partnership and enter the Sydney market for the first time.

Melbourne's Civic Partners is expanding

The Civic Group, one of the largest public relations and government relations consultancies in Melbourne, has hired Rudd-era minister Alan Griffin as it accelerates its expansion plans.

Mr Griffin, a former political ally of Labor leader Anthony Albanese, was the veterans affairs minister and defence personnel minister under Kevin Rudd and later Julia Gillard. He resigned from parliament in 2016.

Civic, which runs several separate agencies, will relaunch as a partnership and enter the Sydney market for the first time, said the company’s director Jason Aldworth. “In an industry where for the past two years, redundancies became the norm, we targeted growth,” he said.

Civic has recently added several others including ex-Ogilvy managing director Leon Beswick. The expansion, and focus on Labor figures, is in line with others in the industry ahead of a federal election.

The Australian’s Margin Call column last week reported that PremierState, run by Liberal powerbroker Michael Photios, has hired Labor heavyweight Graham Richardson.

Civic has worked for several high-profile clients including KordaMentha, merchant banker John Wylie, Evans & Partners and wealthy Victorian schools including Geelong Grammar and Peninsula Grammar.

The other partners will include former The Age publisher Mark Hawthorne and ex-Fleishman Hillard boss Chris Newman. The partnership’s Sydney expansion will include the establishment of Civic Data – helmed by Chris Brinkworth and chaired by Liam Walsh, a former Facebook Australia executive – which will give the firm access to personal data sets for its campaigns.

They have also been involved in controversial campaigns for Israel Folau against Rugby Australia after he was sacked from the Wallabies and on behalf of Tennis Australia when the tennis star was deported in January.