Public Relation Strategy of Adani Group

The report tries to focus on the mining project of Queensland by the Adani group. It is a known fact that mining projects always have some environmental and social problems, which are part of this report. This project of Adani Australia has been delayed for more than nine years of duration, due to the different protests and debates by both activists and parliamentarians at various times.

Running head: PUBLIC RELATION STRATEGY OF ADANI GROUP
PUBLIC RELATION STRATEGY OF ADANI GROUP
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Executive Summary
The report tries to focus on the mining project of Queensland by the Adani group. It is a
known fact that mining projects always have some environmental and social problems, which
are part of this report. This project of Adani Australia has been delayed for more than nine
years of duration, due to the different protests and debates by both activists and
parliamentarians at various times. The report stress on various public relations policies and
campaigns used by the company to address these particular issues. The Grunig and Hunt four
models of public relations are properly applied to this case study, where the fourth model
which focuses on formal research and mutual benefit in between the organization and the
stakeholders of the organization. The public opinion theory of public relations also focus on
the means of information and persuasion to address the problems of mining project, and its
effects. The report tries to apply and analyze the theories on the practical field, and make the
mining project of Adani group a successful one in Queensland, Australia.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Public relations and Grunig and Hunt’s Symmetrical model by Adani Australia:................4
Application and analysis of Public Opinion Strategy............................................................4
Critique of the PR strategies of Adani:..................................................................................6
The public relations tactics of Adani Group:.........................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
References:.................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Mining is one of the highest revenue generating industries of Australia. As the
Honourable Senator Hon Matt Canavan, Minister of Resources and Northern Australia, the
Australian mining industry is expected to generate a revenue of over $250 billion (Canavan,
2018). Mining operations are crucial for the economic growth of the Australian and a result,
attract considerable attention from the stakeholders like the government as well as the public.
Execution of mining activities requires mobilisation of immense amount of financial
resources manpower and highly advanced machinery. The Australian mining sector owing to
its increasing profitability attracts multinational companies which are capable of mobilising
the immense amount of resources (Export.gov. 2019). The Parliament of Australia reports
that though mining activities which include coal mines are of immense importance as far as
the economic development, employment generation and revenue generation are concerned,
the industry face certain issues as well. Mining activities have immense negative impacts on
the environment which subject these activities to immense amount of intervention from the
government and the public (Aph.gov.au, 2019). The aim of the assignment would be
analysing the response of one such mining company to the environmental issues which it
faced on the way of starting one of its most ambitious mining projects in Australia. The
mining company which would form the crux of the analysis is Adani Group, one of the
leading mining companies in Australia based in India. The analysis would primarily be based
on a recent article published by the Australian Broadcasting Casting which reports the
business conglomerate getting approval from the Queensland Environment Department to
initiate mining and allied construction works in the Galilee Basin (Abc.net.au, 2019). The
paper would be presented from the view point of Adani Group (Adaniaustralia.com, 2019).

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Public relations and Grunig and Hunt’s Symmetrical model by Adani Australia:
Adani uses public relations as a tool to communicate its business strategies and
outcomes of the same to the external stakeholders or the public. The company uses the public
information model which is one of the communication models as per the Grunig and Hunt’s
Four Historical Models (Grunig, 2013). The four models are Press agent or publicity model,
which considered as a one-way communication procedure. It uses different manipulative
means and measures for persuasion, but does not use formal investigation to monitor the
communication tactics. The public information model also is a one-way model, which
practices media releases to spread the information among the audiences, but does not include
formal research work. The two way asymmetrical model is also present in these four models,
which includes scientific persuasion for the audiences, but keeps organizational desires as
priority (Smith, 2017). But in the case of mining project of Queensland and relating to the
issues of the locals, the activists, the government, the two way balanced model of Grunig and
Hunt, is the most viable option for addressing to the issues by the public relations department
of Adani group. This model first is categorized as two-way process, which includes,
communication with the target to negotiate with the public (Grunig, 2017). This model of
communication aims to resolve the issues of conflict and try to promote mutual respect and
understanding in between the stakeholders who are related to this mining project and also
promote mutual benefits between the parties..
Application and analysis of Public Opinion Strategy
The mine is first which have gained approval for the Galilee Basin, another six which
have been proposed for the particular region. In this way, if the PR practitioner uses the two-
way symmetrical model of Grunig and Hunt, it will indeed be useful in resolving the issues of
the protesters, the environmentalists, and the organization for sure. The psychology behind
the public relations strategy and tactics, includes engagement of key audiences, building the

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important relationships and also bringing vital and necessary information, in the organization
for analysis as well as action (Borchelt & Nielsen, 2014). The public opinion creation
strategy includes combination of whitepapers and case studies, broadcast and radio interview
opportunities, press releases; media list development, event planning and coverage, webinars
as well as crisis communications strategies. In this mining project development, the creation
of a proper and structured public opinion among the locals, the community members, by
promoting various social activities, empowering woman and spreading education and
awareness among the children and youth. In addition, spreading the knowledge of all the
activities of environmental and social remedial measures taken by the Adani group and
communicating the same to the stakeholders (Ferguson, 2018). Public opinion theory indeed,
if used to the optimal measures in the public relations strategy of Adani group in the mining
project of Queensland, will fetch positive results from both the locals as well as the
protesters.
The Adani group is doing continuous attempts to start its coalmining projects in Queensland
for more than nine years. Although, the company is facing opposition from environmentalists
and similar activists groups like Galilee blockade. There are always various impacts of
mining on the environment, on various levels. The major area of concern is that, the
continuous mining activity reduces the natural resources content of the area and the universe,
affecting our ecological balance. Mining also leads to deforestation to a huge extent and in
the process, the environment are degraded. Adani group has finally passed the environmental
approval and now can begin its work on the Carmichael mining project, in central
Queensland, amid fierce protests by the environmentalists and the endless political debates.
The Adani group made several plans and the Environment department sought advice from
CSIRO and Geoscience Australia in approving the plan. Adani Australia Chief Executive

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Lucas Dow said the mining project intended to create huge job openings for the locals as
well, to which the locals are also looking forward to.
Critique of the PR strategies of Adani:
The public relations approach adopted by the Adani Group can be criticised on the
grounds that the approval of the Environment Department which the company has gained to
initiate the mining project, does not guarantee environmentally sustainable operations. This is
because the Galilee Basin lies in a very environmentally fragile region bounded with hills,
rivers and waterfalls, all of which play critical roles in the environment of Australia
(Robertson, 2019). The fact can be established on the grounds that the coveted mining
location of Galilee is the home to endangered species like black throated finch (Horn, 2019).
Thus, though the company claims that it would ensure minimum damage to the environment
to the extent possible, it cannot be counted upon. This is evident from an article published in
the Guardian in 2016 which claims that mining companies compromise on their
environmental sustainability measures in order to earn higher profits which commencing
mining activities (Slezak & Robertson, 2016). Thus one can point out in the light of this
finding that Adani Group have to be responsible for the stakeholders associated with this
business. Failure to ensure environmental sustainability while commencing mining operations
would actually prove the public relations strategies of the company to fraud and a
misrepresentation of the business strategies of the company (Majer, 2013). This would
depreciate the goodwill of the company in the Australian market. The company would lose
the trust of the stakeholders and consequently fail to gain stakeholder support in the future.
This in the long run would hinder the business of Adani Group (Banks et al., 2013). This
means that the public relations strategy of the mining conglomerate can be criticised on the
grounds of ethics and law (Viscidi & Fargo, 2015).

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The public relations tactics of Adani Group:
The public relations tactics which Adani adopts consists of publishing of
information on the digital media and audio visual media. The company publishes the
information related to its business strategies on newspapers, business magazines and its own
official websites. The information include activities out of the mining projects, which are the
main reasons of protests, by the activists both on social as well environmental fronts (Dobele
et al., 2014). The public relations strategies of the company is extremely well planned. The
tactic was made to the public especially the Government of Australia and the state
government. This is evident from the fact that from the very beginning, the management of
the company has tried to gain necessary approval and support form the Australian
government and Queensland Authority in order to chalk out plans and roadmaps for the
future, which will cause minimum harm or damage to the environment. The response was
made to the government body to gain its support through the commencement of the project.
Conclusion
One can conclude from the analysis that public relations form a very significant part
of the communication strategies of companies. The company should communicate authentic
and accurate information using the public information model to gain trust and support of the
public. As far as the Adani Group is concerned, it can be pointed out that the company should
aim to reduce its environmental impacts while executing its mining project in the Galilee
region. The company should also aim to protect the endangered species of flora and fauna to
the feasible extent. The company should communicate authentic facts regarding
environmental conservation in its PR statements and abide by them.

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References:
Abc.net.au. (2019). Retrieved 24 September 2019, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-
06-13/adani-carmichael-coal-mine-approved-water-management-galilee/11203208
Adaniaustralia.com. (2019). Retrieved 24 September 2019, from
https://www.adaniaustralia.com/about#our-story
Aph.gov.au. (2019). Retrieved 24 September 2019, from https://www.aph.gov.au ›
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9PUBLIC RELATION STRATEGY OF ADANI GROUP
Dobele, A. R., Westberg, K., Steel, M., & Flowers, K. (2014). An examination of corporate
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