SYDNEY: The three mega public relations outfits charged with the task of returning the state LNP government of Premier Dominic Perrottet have urgently called for the public’s help as they see their campaign aim becoming more daunting by the day.

“Our dirt files on Opposition Leader Chris Minns are nowhere near as damaging as we need them to be with the starter’s gun soon to be fired for the March 25 election,” one senior executive at one of the PR agencies, Newscorpse Lite, told The Bug on the condition of anonymity.

“Our creative director Bevan Shields (editor of The Sydney Morning Herald) isn’t fretting just yet but he’s certainly aware the campaign needs to be ramped up fast – and right now!”

Newscorpse Lite, also known in the corporate world at Nine Entertainment Co., is a well-established Sydney-based conservative PR firm that includes the SMH, its sister Sun-Herald, The Australian Financial Review, Channel 9 and several high-rating radio stations.

The other two PR firms retained by the NSW LNP are Newscorpse (The Daily Telegraph, its sister Sunday Telegraph, The Australian, Sky News Australia and The Australian) and Newscorpse Getting Less Light By The Day (The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s state-based TV and radio network, backed up by the national TV program News Breakfast).

Their combined task has gotten just that much harder in recent days with a YouGov poll in The Sunday Telegraph showing the Labor Opposition leading the Perrottet government by 56% to 44% on two-party referred.

The online bookies have reacted to that poll – and presumably the flow of bets of late – this morning slashing Labor’s odds to almost “pay-out” levels.

Sportsbet has Labor at $1.18 and the LNP at $4.05; TAB is even worse for the LNP with Labor on $1.15 and the LNP on $5.

A source at Newscorpse Lite subsidiary 2UE told us: “The way our odds have blown out in recent days you’d think that Nazi costume photo had surfaced.

“The hill we now have to climb is steep enough with or without that extra burden. Our team leader and by far our most creative and effective communicator Ben [Fordham] appreciates the difficulty we all face because Minns isn’t in power so we can’t use a ‘Dictator Dan’ style personal assault on his character and integrity.

“We’ve been workshopping “Commie Chris” but sadly the younger people in our focus groups don’t fall for that sort of shit anymore. Sadly, they don’t fall for just about any our shit any more.

“We simply need more shit on Minn’s (sic) life and we’re asking for the public’s help to get dear Dom to a well-deserved fourth term as the natural side of government in Australia. He’s got so much to offer and his work is only half-done.”

Other sources across the three LNP PR firms and their subsidiaries echoed the need for public help.

“Surely someone must know if Minn’s (sic) wife was involved in a car accident in the past decade?” pleaded a senior copywriter at the Fin. Review.

“And whether he has holidayed in recent times at a beachside rental with stairs?” an even junior copywriter within the ABC’s state politics creative team said.

“Surely he must have shoplifted as a kid? Or still picks his nose?”

“We need good solid shit on this prick and we need it yesterday!”

UPDATE: By mid-morning, Tuesday, Qld time, Sportsbet’s odds for a LNP victory in March have drifted out to $4.75 with Labor still at $1.18. Perhaps that 21st birthday photo of Herr Perrottet has lobbed?