1. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
PRPulse
Persuasion Tactics
2016 Australian Election
Campaign Launch
Dr Chris Kossen
May 2016
School of Arts and Communication
2. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Tactics in public relations
are methods of persuasion
Brief outline of core tactics evident in 2016 Australian election
campaign launch from the two major parties.
Australian Liberal and National Party coalition: incumbent
Australian Labor Party: opposition
NOTE: This outline is focused on the use of political persuasion tactics and not the promotion
of any particular political position or point of view.
3. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Partisan party politics
zero sum
win / lose
The core strategy in political campaigning is logical and predictable
in a framework of democratic adversarial based partisan politics
Win government (positively framed proposition)
Defeat opponent party (negatively framed proposition)
4. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Promote and Attack
Strategy to Tactics
Strategy To obtain trust and credibility (sufficient to win)
+ promoting credentials (positive framed)
- discrediting opponents (negative framed)
Partisan politics relies heavily on discrediting opponents
5. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Fear based attack tactics
Attack
We are well aware partisan politics relies heavily on strategy of discrediting opponents
Negative messaging proven to be effective political campaign tactics
Tactics of Fear
Fundamental persuasion tactic
The peril of the populace should opponents win government
6. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Tactics
application of strategy
Evident in the rhetoric
(language) used in key messages
Australian political campaigning 2016 key messages
– Jobs and Growth + conservatives
– Budget Repair + / - conservatives
– Debit and Deficit - conservatives
– Budget Repair that’s Fair + / - Labor
– Health and Education + Labor
7. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Messaging principles utilised
For message potency
Repetition
Consistency
Staying on message
Repetition is key in message resonance and penetration
Tactics of repetition work to ensure consistency and staying on message
8. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Conservatives
Jobs and Growth
We have a plan for jobs and growth
Arguments and underpinning assumptions
Lower taxes enable economic growth
This enables business to expand and create more employment
Fear
The opposition has a record of debit and deficit (high tax and spending)
These policies hinder economic growth needed to generate jobs
Leaving most people worse off
9. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Labor Party
Budget Repair that’s Fair
Competing Plan
Underpinning arguments and assumptions
Budget needs repair (stated and acknowledged priority)
Priority on fairness (in budget management)
Fair budget repair is affordable and therefore achievable
Fear
Opponents (conservatives) lower taxes to benefit big business profits
Lower tax revenues benefit big business at expense of social services
Leaving most people worse off
10. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Does this seem like a return to traditional
Rhetorical Division?
Left and Right
Labour
Verses
Capital
Politics of class warfare
11. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Marshalling Cultural Resources
Mythologies and popular cultural beliefs
Conservative mythologies
Australians are entrepreneurial and enterprising
Effort and enterprise produce wealth and reward
Labor Party mythologies
Australian equality
Fairness: equal opportunity for all
Return on social investment is fairness for all
12. CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081
Discipline and adherence
to key messages
– Jobs and Growth + conservatives
– Budget Repair + / - conservatives
– Debit and Deficit - conservatives
– Budget Repair that’s Fair + / - Labor
– Health and Education + Labor
Very little divergence
