This story in the SMH (here) is a lesson in Crisis PR; it reflects a lot of current sentiment, and you can see plenty of Bronwyn Bishop’s critics on her Facebook site.
The helicopter incident is a reminder to us all – social media shines a light on our behaviour. If we are bad, we get punished; if we are good, rewarded. Social media is the great leveler.
For the crisis PR practitioner, it can be an asset or a burden, depending on which side of an argument uses it most effectively.
For those in the public eye, it’s a matter of deciding when, and with what values and opinions, do you take a stand. The difficulty for Bronnie, is that she refuses to apologise, social media has turned against her.
Had she apologised promptly and been able to demonstrate genuine contrition, social media may have helped save her reputation. 
Having watched her over the years, I think she’ll tough this one out; she’s had plenty of time to get comfortable with her behaviour, even if most Australians aren’t. There are lots of ways of flipping the bird, and Ms. Bishop’s indifference to public opinion is one of them.
How could we handle a crisis like this? Go here, here and here.
