The public sphere has been considered as the primarily available space in which citizens can share their reasoned democratic opinion and debate among themselves. This space offers rooms for discussion of projects and ideas arising from the society, which are demonstrated to the individuals tasked with making critical decisions within the society. Public communication professionals have the ability to help in promoting such social causes within the public sphere through meaningful debates. As a platform for communication of the ideas of the citizens about projects and ideas, such influences on debates reflect the theoretical concepts and practical issues displayed in the media that highlight the plight of the public. The purpose that public communication plays in the public sphere represents the attempts made to deliver messages to the preferred target audience. These goals can be achieved through several means including public relations and advertising through different promotional tools available in the media.
Advertising has been defined in different ways according to the context and intention of the message used in the ads. However, according to Richards and Curran, advertising refers to the paid material that is used in communication from a known source with the intention of making a persuasive appeal to the receiver to take immediate or deferred actions (2002). However, such definitions limit advertising, which results in a mix of promotional tools including public relation practices. The practices, in this case, are the development and management of the ethical strategies through communications in order to establish relationships with stakeholders and the public (Johnston et al., 2009). Different research studies have reviewed the influence of public communication officials on the debate on the public sphere in enabling or obstructing access to and representation in the public sphere and documented in literary works, which confirm their relevance in the public decision-making processes.
The public communication professionals have the duty of maintaining the image of the corporations they represent within the public domain. In collaboration with the media, they ensure that they clear the air in regards to speculations available in the public sphere and ensure that at the end of the day, the public perception and confidence in the organisation remains high. Therefore, through participation I public debates, public communication professionals maintain a good rapport with the public and ensures that any internal challenges do not affect the external environment. The media is an essential aspect of the role played by the public communication professionals, primarily through the representation of their idea to the public sphere where democracy is a significant concern of the players.
The Adani Case
The Carmichael coal mine proposed in the north of Galilee Basin in Central Queensland has since been considered one of the most controversial in the discussion in the public sphere. The mine which is proposed by the Adani Mining, an Indian company, has raised several concerns which have been represented in different prisms in the public sphere. These issues range from the economic, social, and environmental concerns about the mine. The mine is expected to produce about 60 million tons of coal annually. The mine is expected to be one of the largest coal mines in Australia and the world at large. According to experts from the company, the mine would produce more than 2.3 billion tons of coal in 60 years.
The mine, which aims to export the coal to India through facilities at Hay Point and Abbot point using rail transport to the coast has raised significant controversies concerning its economic benefits, plans for government subsidy, financial viability, and the damaging environmental effects. The debates in the public sphere have considered these concerns as the potential impacts such as the carbon emissions of the project as well as the potential threat to the Great Barrier Reef groundwater (Robertson, 2018).
Representation of the public sector
Considering the current market trends of imported thermal coal since 2013, analysist highly doubt the viability of the mine. Australians appear to be losing patience and confidence in the project as speculations grow about whether the construction of the mine would solve the surge in unemployment rates in the country. It appears that funds have dried up for the $16.5 billion coal mine project, which has since received setbacks including the government’s withdrawal of its 45 billion loans that would have been used in the construction of the rail line linked to the mine (Chang, 2018). According to Daniel Morgan, a UBS investment bank analyst, you need the price of coal to stabilise between $100 and $110 per ton to make this a viable project (Wilkes " Sonali, 2014). However, despite this statement being made earlier on in 2014, the seaborne coal prices have significantly fluctuated from $140 per ton in 2012 to around $60 per ton in 2015 and continues to go down. The fluctuation in coal prices not only seems to have scared the confidence of the public but also threatens the project’s possibility of taking off since the company seems to restraint its efforts on commencing the project.
Reports also indicate that the Indian government intends to reduce the national reliance on imported thermal coal, which significantly implies that the project would be in futility if the initial intention of the project were to transport the coal to India. Indian government officials and political analysts have represented public opinion about the project and seem sceptical about its viability. According to Mr. Buckley, the former head of equity research at Citigroup, Mr. Adani would unrealistically put his money into a high risk project that is not supported by the demand in the Indian government, thereby calling for strong endorsements of the project by the Turnbull government in the form of a loan (Hasham, 2018). Several banks, however, have considered the project as a waste of money that would not viably sustain a loan, which has seen two dozen banks around the world shy away from the economic risks associated with the project.
The environmental effects are additional public concerns, especially the coal emissions as well as the impact of the mine on groundwater. As earlier indicated, advertisements form a significant aspect of informing public decisions in the short and long-term basis. A Queensland farmer representing public opinion of other members of the community has raised enough money to finance television advertisement during prime times to call for the government to cancel the unlimited free water license given to the company’s proposed coal mine for 60 years (Slezak, 2017). Angus Emmott alongside about 100,000 others has not only filed a petition fighting the same cause but also collectively raised $25,000 to buy ad space on the TV to advance their agenda. The project is considered to have a significant impact on the levels of underground water both during and after the completion of the operation, which is projected to take 60 years. Robertson also indicates that one of the world’s last unspoiled deserts could be permanently dried up under the mining project is allowed to sail through (2018)
Representation of the Company
Despite the financial challenges associated with the project, the company has maintained its confidence in sailing through with the project. Additionally, even though several banks have declined to advance loans towards the project, and government’s withdrawal of its support, the company is confident it can successfully execute the project. According to a statement issued to new.com.au, the Aurizon North Australia Infrastructure Facility’s (NAIF) loan denial did not impact the project. The company’s spokesman indicated that the company is focused on the early stages of the works and is confident of future progress. He also indicated that the company is currently paying 47.2 million in salaries to the 800 direct staff and second employees every month (Chang, 2018).
Different reports have confirmed the fact that the company can finance the project without having to rely on the government support or loans from the unwilling banks. The four of the biggest banks in Australia have ruled out their abilities to fund the Carmichael mine alongside other international lenders. The Queensland government has also vetoed the attempts to secure a loan from the federal government to build the railway line from the mine to the Abbot Point terminal. Nevertheless, analysts say that The owner of the company is wealthy enough to fund the mine himself. According to Mr Buckley, the company has dramatic equity market wealth that could easily do margin loans against its shareholdings (Hasham, 2018). The CEO was recently valued at $US15 billion on the Indian stock market. However, the company maintains that it has to secure the loans as well as the government support in order to gain confidence in the project before putting its own money on it.
Conclusions
The public sphere offers a democratic space within which individuals are free to air their views and participate in constructive debates about issues affecting the society. In most cases, the public sphere enables people to directly or indirectly express their opinions to the policy framers through influencing their decisions. Democracy is often viewed as the situation in which one group of the society feels oppressed, but are given an opportunity to express their dissatisfaction and participate in constructive forums that influence policies in governance. In such societies, the freedoms of speech, association, and assembly are guaranteed in the constitutions that govern the societies. Additionally, different systems are put in place to regulate the conduct of every member of the society. The media, elected representatives, and special interest groups are some of the public communication professionals that represent the interests of the public. However, for-profit organisations have individuals tasked with the responsibility of communicating the interests of the organisations they represent. The government also uses communication channels through public communication professionals to advance its agendas.
The Adani case represents a significant example of the representation of different interests through public communication professionals. In various instances, public professionals defend the objectives of their society. Elected MPs have indicated their displeasure with the project, which is seemed to pose several challenges including emission of dangerous greenhouse gasses as well as depletion of the country’s groundwater. These individuals represent the interest of the government as well the public. Local and international banks have also shown that they have little faith on the project due the fact that coal prices have not only reduced over the past decade but also because the demand for seaborne coal in India has significantly reduced.
This discouraged them from lending to the mine, which is projected to last for more than 60 years. Additionally, citizens have taken the initiative to defend their interests through gathering resources to file a petition as well as pay for prime ad space on the TV to call for the government to cancel the unlimited free water license given to the company’s proposed coal mine for 60 years (Slezak, 2017). However, the company has also used the media to convince the citizens in the public sphere about the feasibility of the project. The company’s spokesperson assured the public of the ability of the company to carry out the project. Additionally, the media have indicated continuously that the company owners have enough money to push through the completion of the mine. However, they need assurance from the government through participation such as advancements in loans and reinstatement of credits that had been withdrawn.
Works Cited:
http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/mining/pressure-builds-on-adani-to-start-construction-of-its-165-billion-carmichael-coal-mine/news-story/4c650976d7adc18799b8697e5662ba59
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/adani-owner-rich-enough-to-fund-carmichael-mine-himself-analyst-says-20180312-p4z3yf.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-21/adani-groundwater-plan-risks-permanent-damage-to-desert-springs/9569184
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/nov/09/queensland-farmer-raises-25000-to-run-ad-opposing-adani-water-licence
https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/960312309766762497
http://junkee.com/adani-ad-coal-fairfax/114375
