The corporate watchdog ASIC hired external spin doctors to deal with "potentially explosive issues for ASIC and its reputation" arising from the banking royal commission.

Key points: ASIC didn't use an open tender to hire a PR firm to deal with reputational issues from the banking royal commission

ASIC didn't use an open tender to hire a PR firm to deal with reputational issues from the banking royal commission Wells Haslem Mayhew's fee was not disclosed, but expected to be more than $10,000 a month

Wells Haslem Mayhew's fee was not disclosed, but expected to be more than $10,000 a month The PR firm was expected to reshape some image problems plaguing ASIC for 10+ years

Documents obtained under Freedom of Information by the ABC show that ASIC engaged the strategic public relations firm Wells Haslem Mayhew to help "shape" the message from the inquiry overseen by former High Court judge Kenneth Hayne.

"ASIC is a central actor at the RC [royal commission into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services industry]," a document marked "CONFIDENTIAL" said.

"While it will traverse historic terrain, the RC nonetheless presents a threat to ASIC's current reputation, with witnesses sure to contest our past conduct and look to shift historic blame to ASIC.

"These challenges are particularly poignant as they coincide with the commencement of ASIC's new chairman James Shipton."

Countering the media

The issues require "careful media-political judgement", ASIC's senior executive leader, Matthew Abbott, warned.

Senior leaders, including ASIC's deputy chair, Peter Kell, and the chief legal counsel Chris Savundra, were involved in devising a strategy to manage the message from the royal commission and counter negative publicity.

"Strategic" and "tactical" responses ASIC deemed necessary to deal with potential reputational fallout included:

"Shaping the longer-term discussion through development of messages and materials that reinforce that … ASIC continues to fix the problems from 10-plus years ago"

"Shaping the longer-term discussion through development of messages and materials that reinforce that … ASIC continues to fix the problems from 10-plus years ago" "Using media relations to contest daily reporting flowing from the royal commission via backgrounding reporters, briefing commentators, persuading editors"

"Using media relations to contest daily reporting flowing from the royal commission via backgrounding reporters, briefing commentators, persuading editors" "Ensuring all ASIC spokespeople are briefed and 'on message'"

"Ensuring all ASIC spokespeople are briefed and 'on message'" "Identifying potential reputation crises and actioning pre-approved responses"

More than 60 documents discussing strategy for protecting ASIC's reputation from damage at the royal commission were provided to the ABC under freedom of information laws.

Costs remain secret

The full cost of hiring a top-level issues management firm to help "shape the message" from the royal commission is not clear; some of the material obtained is heavily redacted.

But a six-figure sum is likely, with confidential internal documents saying ASIC could expect to pay a retainer of more than $10,000 a month.

"Communications/PR firm will provide strategic and tactical support through calendar year 2018. Cost of support to exceed $80K during the period of engagement," a document from last December said.

Top-tier law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth provided legal advice to ASIC on the appointment of "communication experts" to deal with the royal commission, internal emails obtained by the ABC's The Business program show.

High-level ASIC leaders were also urged by ASIC's deputy chair Peter Kell to form a royal commission "communications sub-committee" involving chief legal counsel Chris Savundra, senior executive leader, strategy Greg Kirk, communications head Matthew Abbott and ASIC's commissioners.

No full tender

Wells Haslem Mayhew was appointed without a full tender after a Request for Quotation from ASIC.

ASIC initially considered an extensive list of large and boutique crisis management/PR firms but opted to hire from a limited list of "spin doctors" on an existing government panel to avoid the time and delay involved in a full tender process.

ASIC's brief for communications support included:

Strategic assessment of risks and opportunities for ASIC from the royal commission and strategies to manage them

Strategic assessment of risks and opportunities for ASIC from the royal commission and strategies to manage them A "map" of stakeholders' positions on the royal commission, their perceptions of ASIC, and how audiences receive information

A "map" of stakeholders' positions on the royal commission, their perceptions of ASIC, and how audiences receive information Developing "message frameworks"

The message frameworks included high-level talking points for executive leaders and protocols for communication, including "crisis and reputation management".

Wells Haslem Mayhew was hired in January.

It sent ASIC a detailed communications strategy and analysis for the royal commission on February 28.

The PR firm also ran a "who we are" session offsite for ASIC's senior executive leaders.