Taking Action for Animals: Writing to Your MP
Members of parliament (MPs) care what we think. Based on a survey of 900 politicians in five countries, politicians find meetings with their constituents the most useful form of information about public opinion, even more than public opinion polling or traditional media.
For a short and compelling introduction to successful political advocacy, please watch the recording of our workshop with the Australian Alliance for Animals.
We know that meeting with politicians can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't need to be. We want to make the process smooth and easy for you, by giving you resources and 1-1 support to guide you through the process.
Step one:
Find your MPs
Find your lower house district (Legislative Assembly) and upper house region (Legislative Council) here.
Then you can find your local member in the Legislative Assembly and your five Legislative Council representatives here.
We recommend you research your MPs, including whether they have sat on any relevant committees, whether they have ever publicly mentioned animals or farming, and any actions they have taken that you support.
Step three:
Draft your letter
Decide on your policy ask (see below). We recommend only raising one issue in your letter.
You can use Amplify for Animals' letter template to help you write your letter, but please personalise it as much as you can. A hand-written letter can be even more effective. Please make sure you are always polite and respectful.
We recommend asking your MP for a meeting, but if you don't have time or capacity, you can also ask your MP to raise the issue with their party or submit a written parliamentary question.
Step four:
Securing a meeting
Don't be afraid to be persistent. MPs are busy people but they want to hear from local constituents. If you haven’t heard back within 10 days, follow up with a friendly phone call to the MP’s electorate office.
See the Australian Alliance for Animals' 'Influence Change' toolkit for more advice.
If your MP responds but can't meet with you, send a polite response (see suggestions on page 2 here).
Step five:
Preparing for your meeting
If your MP accepts your meeting request, please get in touch so we can support you through the process and share lessons with our other advocates.
To prepare for your meeting, start by reading the Australian Alliance for Animals 'Influence Change' toolkit and watching the recording of our introduction to political advocacy workshop.
Take notes on:
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Your personal connection with your community
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The arguments that feel most compelling to you
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Your call to action for the MP (e.g. raising the issue within their party).
Step six:
Follow-up after your meeting
After your meeting, send a follow-up email to thank your MP, provide any promised information, and remind them of any commitments they made.
Finally, don't forget to celebrate your success!
We will be celebrating through our Meeting Blitz competition -whoever meets with the most MPs between now and the November election will be crowned champion (with your permission) at our end-of-year celebration!
Our Key Policy Asks
Other Policy Asks
