Nicola Pitt

Proposed Title

How Queensland councillors communicate with constituents on social media during crisis and disaster situations.

Supervisors

Principal Supervisor: Dr Travis Holland
Co-Supervisor: Dr Deborah Wise

Research

Considering the differing ways in which elected municipal officials interact via social media to their constituents and comparing and contrasting to municipal ‘corporate’ messaging.

Why I chose Charles Sturt

I completed my Master of Communication at CSU and had established a working relationship with my supervisor, so it was a natural progression, given our interests aligned.

Publications

Conference Presentations

• Turning the Tide of Crisis Communication: Understanding The Role of Municipal Councillors on Facebook During the Jan/Feb 2025 North Queensland Floods
• Finalist: AANZCA25 Speed Pitch "When a flood hits, communication can save as many lives as sandbags"
• Navigating the Digital Public Square: Social Media's Influence on Councillor Decision-Making in Queensland

Research Publications

• Pitt, N., Holland, T., & Wise, D. (2025). Digital dialogues and decision-making: Analysing the use of social media by Queensland Local Government Councillors. (Proposed for publication)

Authorship Statement: Based on my thesis, Does social media affect the decision-making processes of local government in Queensland?