Include your name and address: Identify yourself as a constituent by including your address. Politicians usually pay more attention to people who live in their electorate.

Keep it brief: Letters or emails should fit on a page and should be about one issue only. Long letters are less likely to be read.

Focus on three key points: Choose the three points most likely to gain support for your position and explain these clearly. Using more points and arguments will be less effective.

Use your own words, not someone else's: An original letter sent by one person is more effective than a form letter (or cut and pasted texts) sent by many people.

State the topic clearly: Include a subject line at the beginning of your letter e.g "Dental Waiting Lists".

Start with a clear statement of purpose: For example: "I am writing to ask you to support / oppose ..."

Ask your representative to take specific action: For example, in relation to increasing resources for dental care, ask them to raise the matter in their party room and to include requested measures in their financial policy statements.

Personalise your letter: Try to include information on how the issue affects you, your family, or others you know. This can help your representative understand your position and can be very persuasive as he/she forms a position on an issue. The more personal your letter, the more impact it is likely to have.

Personalise your relationship: If you have ever voted for the representative, or contributed time or money to their election campaign, or have met them, etc, say so. The closer your representative feels to you, the more effective your letter will be.

Be polite: Be courteous, but don't be afraid to take a firm position. While your representative's job is to represent you, remember that they are people too. Threats, hostility and rudeness will quickly alienate them. Avoid criticising the wrong person or party. If unsure of the views of the person you are contacting, just inform them of your views and why they should lend their support.

Be appreciative: Politicians/political parties need to be able to tell the media and other parties that they have received many calls and letters supporting their position. Write thank you letters to politicians/parties that you know support your position. This can encourage them to hold firm on their position rather than backing down under pressure.

Further Tips re Emails: Send your email to your local representative/s and/or the Minister/Shadow Minister responsible for the matter you are writing about, not to everyone. Mass emailing politicians can overload mail servers and be blocked if it looks like spam. Use the formality of a letter, as this makes a better impression on most politicians than the informal style often used in email messages. Pay close attention to grammar, spelling and punctuation.