Queensland election: Labor adviser Eamonn Fitzpatrick set to spin for Hong Kong

One of the Labor Party’s most influential advisers has taken up a role in Hong Kong with a public relations firm to counter negative coverage of the regime.

Eamonn Fitzpatrick.

One of the Labor Party’s most influential advisers and lobbyists will be absent from the Queensland election campaign after taking up a role in Hong Kong with a public relations firm to counter negative coverage of the Chinese territory in the international media.

Eamonn Fitzpatrick, once dubbed the “agent of infection” by the Liberal National Party, has been working for London-based Consulum since he left his role as a director for Labor-aligned lobbying firm Hawker Britton earlier this year.

It came soon after Consulum won a $US6.2m one-year contract from the Hong Kong government after China’s implementation of a security law targeting pro-democracy activists.

The former journalist is close to several high-profile Labor figures, many of whom he has worked for as an adviser, including opposition leaders Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten and former prime ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.

Mr Fitzpatrick has spent the past 10 days in hotel quarantine in Hong Kong, where he has family, before settling into his new role. He declined to comment on Friday.

Mr Fitzpatrick is not on the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme register, set up in 2018 to keep track of lobbyists working in Australia on behalf of foreign entities, but it is understood his role will not involve directly lobbying the Australian government or its agencies in Australia.

According to a press release ­issued by the Hong Kong government on June 29, the “Relaunch Hong Kong” campaign will ­involve Consulum developing a “communications strategy as well as a marketing and advertising plan to highlight Hong Kong’s ­recovery and help rebuild confidence in Hong Kong as a place to invest, do business, work and live”.

The rebranding pitch followed months of international press coverage showing the violent suppression of protesters campaigning against the Hong Kong new security law. “Throughout the social unrest in 2019 there were views that the HKSAR Government did not effectively present its case to defend its actions or effectively mobilise the community to support law enforcement actions and condemn intimidation, doxxing, vandalism and the criminal and violent behaviour of rioters,” a tender document from the Hong Kong government said.

The tender documents show the “target audiences” of the PR campaign include “key influencers internationally in the public and private sectors” and “media and other global commentators”.

Labor sources said Mr Fitzpatrick’s move has irked some in the party, who have criticised China for its increasing direct interference in the affairs of the former British colony.

Renowned as a strategist and fixer, Mr Fitzpatrick has been a mainstay on Queensland election campaigns, advising Labor in the 2012, 2015 and 2017 state elections.

Sources said Mr Fitzpatrick helped before Labor’s Brisbane City Council campaign in March before he accepted the role with Consulum.

His new job will prohibit him from playing any role in the October 31 election.

His nickname among the LNP, “The Agent of Infection”—— for supposed dirty campaign tricks — was given to him when he was media adviser to former Queensland premier Anna Bligh.

Mr Fitzpatrick played a role in NSW Labor premier Morris Iemma’s 2007 election win and spent several years in various NSW government communications roles. He continued to advise the party on subsequent NSW elections, including last year’s defeat.