Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd is likely to attend when chief executives of major newspaper publishers gather under the ‘The Newspaper Works’ banner in Canberra next Tuesday evening. While the object is to promote the need and opportunity for creative advertising in print by government departments and agencies, the Newspaper Publishers Association (PANPA) says. Brian McCarthy (Fairfax Media), John Hartigan (News Ltd) and Chris Wharton (West Australian Newspapers) will attend, although Brendan Hopkins (APN) has been called to Europe for an INM board meeting. NPA says with parliament sitting next Tuesday – and an election to be held in Australia later this year – it is expected “all the leading politicians, including the prime minister” will attend and take the opportunity to discuss the state of affairs with newspaper leaders. Newspaper executives are concerned about the falling volumes of advertising from Australia’s national government in newspapers. Now’s a great time for publishers to make their case.