Stories are how we learn and evolve as a society. Healing the problems of society begins with the words we use to shape the past, present, and future. Myth and legends heal because they remind us of right and wrong, and how to each balance again.  This presentation asks: how can we change the story we tell to heal the rifts in our society around climate action and to specifically get bipartisan support for climate action? Bringing together research from the Climate Compass, story medicine principles, and audience provocations, this presentation sets up the agreed framework for our Australian Parents for Climate Action parent and grandparent spokespeople.

1. Change The Story
Federal Election
Prepared by: Heidi Lee Douglas
Date: 26 October 2021

3. STORY MEDICINE
PART 1

4. STORY MEDICINE
Healing the problems of society begins with the words we use to
shape the past, present and future.
Myth and legends heal because they remind us of right and
wrong, and how to find balance again.
This presentation asks:
How can we change the stories we tell to heal the rifts in
our society around climate action?
And more specifically, to get bipartisan support for greater
climate action.

5. Provocation:
For the sake of the greater good,
can you step outside of yourself,
your opinions,
your assumptions,
to change the way you tell the story of climate action and
climate change,
to heal the rifts in society?

6. Climate Compass
Summary
PART 2

7. The Climate Compass segmented
Australian audience into 7 sections:
1. 24% Alarmed - 4.89 mill
2. 6% Alert - 1.21 mill
3. 24% Concerned - 4.96mill
4. 18% Cautious - 3.73mill
5. 4% Disengaged - 876 thou
6. 16% Doubtful - 3.28 mill
7. 9% Dismissive - 1.78 mill

8. OPEN TO, BUT NOT DOING:
● Alert and alarmed are more likely to join an environmental org - but the concerned and cautious
won’t.
● So our army for change is the alert and alarmed, but we are trying to reach the concerned and
cautious.

9. OPEN TO , BUT NOT DOING:
● Alert and alarmed are more likely to join an environmental org - concerned and cautious won’t.
● So our army is alert and alarmed, but we are trying to reach the concerned and cautious.
Provocation:
- Can you, as the alarmed and alert , shape your story to reach the concerned and cautious?
In stories, the alarmed and the alert need to meet the needs of the cautious and the
concerned, rather than the other way round.

10. STORY MEDICINE
This is

11. OUR MAIN TARGET AUDIENCE: CONCERNED
VOTING
● 31% of concerned vote LNP and National
● 33% Labor
● only 7% Greens
● 17% don't remember or No Vote

12. OUR MAIN TARGET AUDIENCE: CONCERNED
VOTING
● 31% of concerned vote LNP and National
● 33% Labor
● only 7% Greens
● 17% don't remember or No Vote
Provocation:
- So, can you put your political allegiance aside, and disagree with the policy, not the party;
and ask the party to change its policies.
- Because we won’t get real action on climate until it is supported by both major parties.

13. What are the ways to connect with Australians with low concerns
about climate change?
1. Bushfires, droughts, management of waste
2. Pollution and air quality
3. Extinction of animals and wildlife

14. Ways to connect with Australians with low concerns
about climate change:
1. Bushfires, droughts, management of waste
2. Pollution and air quality
3. Extinction of animals and wildlife
Provocation:
How can you present your climate concerns to your local Federal MP through one of these
frames?
e.g
“We have seen how drought has ravaged our area”
“My home was lost/at risk in bushfires”
“My child’s health was impacted by bushfire smoke” etc.

15. Let’s act on climate now - 72% of Australians agree!

16. Let’s act on climate now - 72% of Australians agree!
You can confidently say “most Australians want us to act on climate now!”

17. Australians are feeling
Uncertain 30%,
Frustrated 26%
Anxious 24%
about climate change

18. Australians are feeling
Uncertain 30%,
Frustrated 26%
Anxious 24%
about climate change
Provocation:
Can you shape your climate story
in terms of shared emotions:
uncertainty, frustration, and anxiety?

19. 75% of Australian believe climate
change will harm future generations.
52% believe it will harm them
personally.

20. Provocation:
Can you mention harm to future generations in
your call for climate action?

21. What is more important than climate change to Australians?
1. Economic interests
2. Cost of living
3. The economy
4. Healthcare

22. Provocation:
Can you mention:
- The benefit to the each of us, if we embrace a just transition eg embracing climate action
is good fiscal policy that will future proof Australia as an economic superpower.
- Embracing climate action will allow us to reduce our cost of living e.g. less expensive
power bills, cars are cheaper to run an electricity than petrol.
- Not acting on climate change now will strain our healthcare in the future through the
impact of pollution, bushfire smoke, emergencies, and even more pandemics as we
continue to land clear.
- Acting on climate change will immediately improve air quality and reduce conditions such
as childhood asthma – through closing coal mines, no gas and coal power stations, no
gas in buildings, no diesel trucks, and electrifying cars.

23. Who should be doing more?
1. Other countries
2. Businesses and corporations
3. The Australian government
4. Your state and territory government

24. You could therefore argue:
- In the last few years, we have seen that other countries are now already leading on
climate action, and Australia is being left behind, including the USA, UK and China.
- The business world is also embracing climate action.
- Our Australian federal government has the biggest responsibility for climate action, yet is
lagging behind on climate action; and is out of step with other countries, the business
world,states and territories.
- Our state and territory governments are doing more than our federal government on
climate action.

25. EMOTIONS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
Alert and alarmed: Panicked, scared, grief, shocked, guilty, sad, determined, distressed,
depressed, angry, exhausted, excited, disgusted, anxious, pessimistic
Concerned and cautious: cautious, hopefully, uncertain, vigilant, helpless, surprised, confused,
unsure

26. EMOTIONS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
Alert and alarmed: Panicked, scared, grief, shocked, guilty, sad determined, distressed,
depressed, angry, exhausted, excited, disgusted, anxious, pessimistic
Concerned and cautious: cautious, hopefully, uncertain, vigilant, helpless, surprised confused,
unsure
Provocation:
Which group are you in,
and is this how you communicate about climate change?

27. OUR MAIN TARGET AUDIENCE: CONCERNED
VALUES:
● Fair and everyone equal - 50%
● Economic security and wealth - 46%
● Personal safety - 42%

28. OUR MAIN TARGET AUDIENCE: CONCERNED
VALUES:
● Fair and everyone equal - 50%
● Economic security and wealth - 46%
● Personal safety - 42% Can you include in your messaging:
- We must act on climate to be fair and equal, to give everyone a fair go, especially future
generations.
- So Australians like you and me now and in the future don’t pay a bigger price for not
acting on climate change.
- We can ensure our ongoing economic security and wealth of our nation by acting on
climate now.
- Many Australians have already felt their personal safety at risk due to climate change.
- We must act now to ensure our future safety and wellbeing.

29. OUR MAIN TARGET AUDIENCE: CONCERNED
POLICY AREAS:
● Cost of living
● Healthcare
● The economy
● Jobs

30. Provocation:
- If we don’t act on climate, it will increase our cost of living in the long run.
- If we don’t act on climate, we will need to invest more in healthcare to remediate the
physical and mental health impacts – when the system is already overburdened.
- Our welfare depends on embracing the opportunities that come with a transition
economy.
- We need to create the jobs of the future, now – these are
the jobs for our children eg renewables.
- We need to ensure a fair go for everyone in society,
especially the working class.

31. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
● Less convinced humans are fully responsible
● Question impact a single individual can make

32. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
● Less convinced humans are fully responsible
● Question impact a single individual can make
Provocation:
Shape your message to suit:
- The science is in agreement, we must act now to mitigate dangerous climate change.
- We have to work together to have a big impact.

33. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
FEELINGS:
● uncertain, unsure, cautious, anxious

34. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
FEELINGS:
● uncertain, unsure, cautious, anxious
Provocation:
Shape your message to suit:
- Many of us feel uncertain about the
future in the face of dangerous climate
change.
- We need to act with caution now, to
make the changes needed to ensure our
safe future.
- It’s normal to feel anxious, the next step
is to act for positive change.

35. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
How they describe climate change:
● Important
● Future harm
● Climate change is something we need to act on now.
● I have noticed changes in the environment and climate in my lifetime.
● The debate around climate change has become too politicised .
● I feel a strong connection to nature (but they equally think fluctuations in climate are all part of
the natural cycle/though closely tied with it’s caused by humans).

36. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
How they describe climate change:
● Important
● Future harm
● Climate change is something we need to act on now.
● I have noticed changes in the environment and climate in my lifetime.
● The debate around climate change has become too politicised.
● I feel a strong connection to nature (but they equally think fluctuations in climate are all part of
the natural cycle/though closely tied with it’s caused by humans).
Provocation:
- Present stories of people who are already living with the
impacts of climate change: it’s now, not in the future.
- Present the science.
- Natural balances are being impacted.

37. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
Personal Values:
● Personal safety
● Economic security and wealth
● Loyal
● Caring

38. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
Personal Values:
● Personal safety
● Economic security and wealth
● Loyal
● Caring
Provocation:
- We must act now to ensure our safety in the future.
- We must do what is right for the economic security and wealth of our nation.
- To act now on climate is an act of love.

39. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
Policy areas:
● Cost of living
● The economy
● Healthcare
● Jobs
● Education

40. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
Policy areas:
● Cost of living
● The economy
● Healthcare
● Jobs
● Education
Provocation:
- Similar policy areas as the Concerned.
- We have an opportunity to talk about the benefits of acting on climate, and the
opportunity cost of not acting, with both groups.
- But, we have to stop ourselves from being alarmist to this audience.

41. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
How they vote:
● 45% vote LNP National
● 29% ALP
● 8 % Other
● 5% Greens

42. OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE: CAUTIOUS
How they vote:
● 45% vote LNP National
● 29% ALP
● 8 % Other
● 5% Greens
Provocation:
- Mostly LNP! So, we want to ask them to make the LNP act on climate,
whilst addressing their main policy concerns.
- Beating up the LNP may distance them from us.

43. ACTIVATING THE CONCERNED
They have potential to:
● Talk in favour of climate action with friends, family and colleagues: 1 mill
● Sign a petition : 1.5 mill
● Vote for a party based on climate change policy 1.145 mill

44. “The story wars are all around us. They are the struggle to be heard in a world of media noise and
clamor. Today, most brand messages and mass appeals for causes are drowned out before they even
reach us.
But a few consistently break through the din, using the only tool that has ever moved minds and
changed behavior — great stories. “
STORY WARS - Jonah Sachs

45. “The story wars are all around us. They are the struggle to be heard in a world of media noise and
clamor. Today, most brand messages and mass appeals for causes are drowned out before they even
reach us.
But a few consistently break through the din, using the only tool that has ever moved minds and
changed behavior — great stories. “
That’s why we all need you to
STORY WARS - Jonah Sachs
CHANGE
THE STORY

46. OUR STORY
PART 3

47. Australian parents have a moral
imperative to protect their
children’s safety and future.

48. Parents need our Federal Government to embrace the economic
opportunities of a carbon neutral economy.
Australian parents need all parties to commit to reducing carbon emissions
by 75% by 2030, in line with the agreed science, to prevent further dangerous
climate change.

49. Australian parents need our Federal Government to embrace
the economic opportunities of a carbon neutral economy.

50. Australian parents are asking our Federal
Government to commit to investing in solar
and batteries for all schools and early
childhood centres around Australia
– right now.

51. This will create
- 7,000 jobs in renewable energy nationwide
- 4,000 teachers jobs, from money saved in
power bills, addressing the national teacher
crisis
- Prevent millions of tonnes of carbon
emissions
- And show our young people that we are
taking action on climate

52. Tying this “Solar Our Schools” investment
to the manufacture of renewables in Australia
can help enable a just transition from fossil
fuels.

53. YOUR STORY
PART 4

54. Now, we help you localise your story.

55. We add in your community’s specific
climate concerns.

56. And how your community can benefit from
Solar Our Schools and achieving a 75%
reduction in carbon emissions by 2030..

57. YOUR STORY
OUR STORY
IS