How to make the most of a 30-minute meeting with Government?

A 30-minute meeting is one of the most valuable opportunities your organisation can secure. Whether you’re speaking with an MP, a ministerial advisor, or a senior departmental official, that meeting sits within a never-ending schedule of engagements. 

Preparation, meeting discipline, and follow-through determine whether your 30 minutes can lead to something more.

Short meetings can easily drift off topic, get too descriptive, or fail to land a clear ask, so treat the meeting not as an isolated event, but as one part of a broader engagement strategy spanning before, during, and after. 

Preparing for the Meeting 

Effective engagement starts long before you walk into the meeting room. Adequate preparation ensures that your message is relevant, realistic, and aligned with the priorities of the decision maker you are meeting with.

1. Research who you are meeting – Understand their electorate, portfolio or departmental responsibilities, relevant public statements and previous engagement with your issue.
2. Understand what they care about – Look at government and party commitments, portfolio priorities, local considerations and the broader policy environment surrounding your issue. 
3. Define your agenda – Set one primary objective and identify a realistic secondary outcome. A successful meeting might result in support for an ask, but it could also be an introduction to another decision-maker, advice on the policy process or agreement to continue the conversation. 
4. Prepare questions – Think about the questions or concerns you are likely to encounter, particularly around cost, implementation, evidence and who else supports your position.
5. Bring concise resources – A one or two-page briefing that clearly explains the issue, evidence and your ask is more useful than a lengthy document that is unlikely to be read.
6. Send background information ahead of time – Send a short briefing note to the office in advance so the person you are meeting has an opportunity to understand the issue and purpose of the discussion.

During the Meeting 

The goal of the meeting is to communicate clearly, present your ask, and build a constructive relationship.

1. Open with an elevator pitch – Who you are, what you do, and why it matters. 
2. Acknowledge any alignment – Demonstrate how your issue relates to their portfolio, electorate or existing government priorities. 
3. Make your ask explicit – What action do you want them to take, and why now. 
4. Respect the clock – Be on time and stay on track. 
5. Avoid jargon – Use clear and accessible language. 
6. Identify supporters – Mention any stakeholders or community leaders who already support your work. 

After the Meeting

The meeting is only one step within the engagement process. Following through is where momentum can be built and sustaining relationships created. 

1. Send a written thank you – Thank the person and their office for their time. 
2. Share materials – Send through digital copies of any material you presented. 
3. Follow up on commitments – Check in on agreed next steps. 
4. Maintain the relationship – Send through campaign updates, research insights, or invitations to events. 
5. Track progress – What was discussed, what was promised, and what needs escalation. 

Government engagement is cumulative. 

No single meeting is able to deliver policy change alone. Each interaction builds on the last, and a consistent, professional presence over time is what will earn your organisation a seat at the table. 

How Fifty Acres Can Help 

Fifty Acres supports organisations to prepare, structure, and execute impactful government engagement. We can support with stakeholder mapping, government engagement strategies, meeting preparation and briefings, messaging, policy positioning and ongoing engagement with political and departmental stakeholders.

Get in touch at jo@fiftyacres.com to discuss how we can help strengthen your government engagement.