Blog post
June 24, 2019

Waging war: A look back on this weeks Federal Election chatter

Labor’s pledge to introduce real increases to the minimum wage is if it wins the Federal Election, and the simmering undercurrents of a cultural war, have been the standout campaign themes this week.

The determined pursuit of fairness has been a fixture of the Australian political landscape for decades, yet cultural wars are a newer phenomenon. The idiom of today suggests workers are competing with bosses and businesses who seek to keep to salaries as low as possible. The current atmosphere of business-bashing was first introduced by the Coalition, who targeted the unpopular banking sector with extra taxes. More recently, Labor have rejected the longstanding policy framework of a globally competitive economy, dynamic labour market, and lower taxes, in favour of a social safety net.

For weeks, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has branded the upcoming election as a “referendum on wages”, putting forward the simple argument that ‘‘no Australian working full-time should be living in poverty’’. Meanwhile, the Coalition is expected to announce another round of income tax cuts ahead of the Budget.

Unions have also chimed in, with the Australian Council of Trade Unions calling for a $73 a week increase to the minimum wage over two years in the pursuit of a “living wage”. Labor quickly distanced itself from the Trade Union’s push, suggesting the final verdict should instead come from the Fair Work Commission. The core assumption for the Commission will be that the current hourly rate of $18.93 must rise – however Labor is yet to reveal any guidelines detailing how this increase would be assessed.


Unsurprisingly, the Council of Small Business of Australia pushed back, stating increased wages would force more businesses to incur payroll tax, and consequently be forced to look at ways to absorb costs; either through increased prices or cutting workers’ hours. Similar sentiments were voiced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who accused Labor of engaging in the politics of envy, and warning that Bill Shorten’s plans would result in the dismissal of many workers.

Most recently, the Australian Industry Group proposed a 2 per cent increase to keep wages in line with inflation, meaning the 2.23 million Australians earning $19 an hour would see just enough extra cash in their pay packets to buy an upsized meal at McDonald’s.

If the next Federal Election is truly a referendum on wages, the key question for voters should be; Are the market determined rates fair and just, or should the government intervene?

Visit www.isentia.com/your-insight-into-the-federal-election for more information or get in touch with our team to discuss your needs.

Share

Similar articles

object(WP_Post)#8709 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(1791) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "36" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2019-06-24 22:07:21" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-06-24 22:07:21" ["post_content"]=> string(2722) "

The Federal Election has been announced and with 33 days of campaigning we thought it would be interesting to compare the number of mentions of the political parties over the past 2 weeks. Analysis from our media intelligence has given insight into Labor having a larger volume of media coverage across all media types in comparison to other political parties.

Examining coverage, we found the ‘Election’ had been the subject of over 33,000 media items and online being the preferred media type.

In terms of political parties, Labor has had a significant number of mentions of broadcast coverage whereas the Coalition had more mentions across more traditional media such as print, during the two-week period. Overall, Labor has had a decent lead over the Coalition in the number of mentions across broadcast, online and print combined during this time.

Interestingly, social mentions over Twitter, Facebook and YouTube were more prominent with individual parliamentarians rather than mentions of political parties. These items mentioned more controversial statements or social ‘worthy’ statements which generated these mentions.

It was found the Coalition had considerably more social mentions over Labor when searching for the parliamentarian’s name or their handle. One Nation were also in the mix, with more social mentions compared to the Greens and the Nationals combined.

With the data analysis we have uncovered, could this be insight into who will win the election on May 18?

If you would like to keep up-to-date for the remainder of the Federal Election campaign, our exclusive Federal Election briefing can ensure you're across all campaign announcements, funding commitments, policy updates and polling figures. If you would like to learn more about this service, get in touch with our team to discuss your needs.

" ["post_title"]=> string(50) "How will media shape the Federal Election outcome?" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(146) "With 33 days of campaigning left, we compare the number of mentions of the political parties over the past 2 weeks surrunding the Federal Election" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(49) "how-will-media-shape-the-federal-election-outcome" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2019-06-26 04:57:22" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-06-26 04:57:22" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(36) "https://isentia.wpengine.com/?p=1791" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" }
Blog
How will media shape the Federal Election outcome?

With 33 days of campaigning left, we compare the number of mentions of the political parties over the past 2 weeks surrunding the Federal Election

object(WP_Post)#8487 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(927) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "36" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2019-06-20 00:18:31" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-06-20 00:18:31" ["post_content"]=> string(1060) "

Stay on top of the federal election coverage

During an election, the volume of media coverage on political promises and topical debates increases. This can have a positive or negative impact on your organisation.

With our comprehensive federal election briefing, you can monitor and track relevant media data to gain insight into the federal election.

Understand your organisation, your competitors, your industry and the important topics. Understand the media data that shapes each campaign day.

From policy, campaign and program announcements to funding commitments and latest polling figures we can ensure you're kept up to date.

Download your sample below or get in touch with us to today!

" ["post_title"]=> string(38) "Your insight into the federal election" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(404) "During an election, the volume of media coverage on political promises and topical debates increases greatly, which can have a significant impact on your organisation. As such, it’s imperative to monitor and track relevant media data so you can understand who’s saying what about your organisation, your competitors, your industry, and any other topic that’s important to you and your organisation." ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(38) "your-insight-into-the-federal-election" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2020-01-23 02:55:48" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2020-01-23 02:55:48" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(35) "https://isentia.wpengine.com/?p=927" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" }
Whitepaper
Your insight into the federal election

During an election, the volume of media coverage on political promises and topical debates increases greatly, which can have a significant impact on your organisation. As such, it’s imperative to monitor and track relevant media data so you can understand who’s saying what about your organisation, your competitors, your industry, and any other topic that’s important to you and your organisation.

object(WP_Post)#11457 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(43875) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "75" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2025-12-09 09:09:29" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2025-12-09 09:09:29" ["post_content"]=> string(8658) "

As communications professionals look toward 2026 planning sessions, one question dominates the conversation - How can we use AI in a safe, scalable, and sustainable way?

Behind this question often lies the hope for an "AI easy button"—a one-click solution for complex measurement challenges. However, as discussed in our recent APAC webinar, the real opportunity lies not in automating old metrics, but in architecting a smarter era of measurement.

Hosted by Russ Horell, Isentia’s Chief Revenue Officer for APAC, the session featured deep dives from two industry leaders who've contributed immensely to research and planning: Ngaire Crawford (Director of Insights, ANZ) and Prashant Saxena (VP of Research and Insights, SEA). Together, they unpacked the transition from using insights and converting them into strategic, measurable storytelling.

Here are the key takeaways from the discussion.

1. From experimentation to transparency

If 2024 and 2025 were the years of "playing in the sandbox," 2026 is set to be the year of transparency.

Ngaire Crawford emphasized that while AI is incredible at summarising data and recognising patterns, it does not automatically generate insight. As we integrate these tools, the focus must shift to methodological integrity—understanding the source data, the structure, and the limitations of the models we use.

"Models are really good pattern finders. But they don't necessarily set what good looks like, or understand the consequences of being wrong. And the antidote to that is always going to be good design." – Ngaire Crawford

2. "More data, better insight" is the misconception

A major misconception remains that feeding AI endless amounts of data will naturally result in better answers. In reality, without the right framework, more data often just creates more noise.

Prashant Saxena warns against the "sameness" that AI can generate. If everyone uses the same models on the same big data sets without specific objectives, they will get similar, generic answers. The role of the insights professional is evolving from descriptive reporting to strategic storytelling—using judgment to break through the "echo chamber" of AI validation.

3. Kill, keep, create: redefining our metrics

The panelists played a game of "keep, kill, create" to determine the future of measurement metrics.

  • Kill: The panel was unanimous in moving away from vanity metrics. Ngaire called for the end of Cumulative Reach, noting it is a biased metric that offers no context. Prashant agreed, suggesting that AVEs (Advertising Value Equivalents) need to be finally left behind.
  • Keep: Share of Voice remains useful as a foundational benchmark (a "census" of market presence), provided it is redefined to measure the share of a specific idea or perception rather than just volume
  • Create: The future lies in Authenticity Metrics. Prashant argued that while reputation is a downstream outcome, authenticity is the upstream outcome that drives it.

"Authenticity is more upstream, as reputation and trust are more downstream... That's an authentic ritual on a day-to-day basis, which leads to reputation." – Prashant Saxena

4. The "home field advantage" for communicators

Despite the technical buzz surrounding AI, the panel argued that communications professionals hold a distinct advantage. "Prompt engineering" is, at its core, a language and communication skill.

The future doesn't necessarily belong to the most technical users, but to the most articulate—those who can clearly define an outcome, ask the right questions, and deconstruct language to get the best result from a model.

Trust your judgment

As we move into 2026, the advice from our experts is to not let AI replace your strategic point of view.

  • Have an opinion: Don't wait for metrics to be imposed on you. Go into conversations knowing what you want to measure and why.
  • Pause before you prompt: As Prashant advised, "Paper before a chatbot.". Define your strategy and objectives on paper, using your human experience and judgment, before turning to AI to execute the work.

By combining the speed of AI with the nuance of human strategy, communicators can finally build the sophisticated measurement systems they have always wanted.


Interested in viewing the whole recording? Watch our webinar here.

Alternatively, contact our team to learn more insights into meaningful measurement, KPIs and communicating using the right dataset.

" ["post_title"]=> string(52) "Key takeaways from the Future of Measurement webinar" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(126) "Our recent webinar explores what the future of measurement in 2026 looks like and what brands must do to scale in this AI era." ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(45) "build-a-scalable-ai-measurement-strategy-2026" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2025-12-09 12:07:34" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2025-12-09 12:07:34" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(32) "https://www.isentia.com/?p=43875" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" }
Blog
Key takeaways from the Future of Measurement webinar

Our recent webinar explores what the future of measurement in 2026 looks like and what brands must do to scale in this AI era.

object(WP_Post)#11430 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(43742) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "75" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2025-12-08 17:11:34" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2025-12-08 17:11:34" ["post_content"]=> string(9544) "

The media landscape is accelerating. In an era where influence is ephemeral and every angle demands instant comprehension, PR and communications professionals require more than generic technology—they need intelligence engineered for their specific challenges.

Isentia is proud to introduce Lumina, a groundbreaking suite of intelligent AI tools. Lumina has been trained from the ground up on the complex workflows and realities of modern communications and public affairs. It is explicitly designed to shift professionals from passive media monitoring back into the role of strategic leaders and pacesetters. 

“The PR, Comms and Public Affairs sectors have been experimenting with AI, but most tools have not been built with their real challenges in mind.” said Joanna Arnold, CEO of Pulsar Group

“Lumina is different; it is the first intelligence suite designed around how narratives actually form today, combining human credibility signals with machine-level analysis. It helps teams understand how stories evolve, filter out noise and respond with context and confidence to crises and opportunities.”

Setting a new standard for PR intelligence

Lumina is centered on empowering, not replacing, the human element of communications strategy. This suite is purpose-built to help PR, Comms, and Public Affairs professionals significantly improve productivity, enhance message clarity, and facilitate early risk detection.

Lumina enables communicators to:

  • Understand & Interpret: Move beyond basic alerts to strategically map the trajectory and spread of narrative evolution.
  • Focus & Personalise: Achieve the clarity necessary to execute strategic action before critical moments pass.
  • Execute & Monitor: Rapidly deploy strategy firmly rooted in real-time, actionable insight.

Get a demo today: Stories & Perspectives module

We are launching the Lumina suite by making our first module immediately available: Stories & Perspectives.

In the current fragmented, multi-channel media environment, communications professionals need to be able to instantly perceive not just how a story is growing, but also how it is being perceived across different stakeholder groups.

Stories & Perspectives organizes raw media mentions into clustered, cohesive Stories, and the Perspectives that exist within each, reflecting distinct media, audience, and public affairs angles. This unique functionality allows users to:

  • Rise above the noise: Instantly identify which high-level topics are gaining momentum or fading from attention.
  • Get to the detail, fast: Uncover the influential voices, niche communities, and specific channels actively shaping the narrative.
  • Catch the pivot point: Precisely identify the moment a story shifts—from a strategic opportunity to a reputation risk—or when a new key opinion former begins guiding the conversation.

"Media isn’t a stream of mentions," said Kyle Lindsay, Head of Product at Pulsar Group. "But rather a living system of stories shaped by competing perspectives. When you can see those structures clearly, you gain the ability to understand issues as they form, anticipate how they’ll evolve, and act with precision. That’s what we mean when we talk about AI built for communicators, and that's what an off-the-shelf LLM can't give you."

The Lumina Roadmap: AI tools for the future of comms

The launch of Stories & Perspectives is the first release of many. Over the upcoming months, we will systematically roll out the full Lumina roadmap, introducing a comprehensive set of AI tools engineered to handle every phase of the communications lifecycle.

The full Lumina suite will soon incorporate:

  • Curated media summaries: AI-driven daily summaries customized specifically to the priorities of senior leadership, highlighting only the most relevant stories.
  • Reputation analysis: Advanced measurement tracking how critical themes like ethics, innovation, and leadership are statistically shaping corporate perception.
  • Press release & media relations assistant: Tools designed to accelerate content creation and craft hyper-focused, personalized pitches that reach the precise contacts faster.
  • Predictive intelligence layer: Technology engineered to track and anticipate story momentum and strategic change before the window of opportunity closes.
  • Intelligent agents: Background agents continuously scanning all media channels for emerging key spokespeople and previously undetected reputation risks.
  • Enhanced audio, broadcast & crisis detection: Complete, real-time oversight of all channels—including audio and broadcast—enabling rapid context building and optimal crisis response delivery.


Want to harness the power of Lumina AI for your PR, Comms, or Public Affairs team? .

Complete the form below to register your interest.

" ["post_title"]=> string(79) "Announcing Lumina: The purpose-built AI suite for PR, Comms, and Public Affairs" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(129) "An intelligent suite of AI tools trained on the language, workflows, and realities of modern public relations and communications." ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(76) "announcing-lumina-the-purpose-built-ai-suite-for-pr-comms-and-public-affairs" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2025-12-09 09:39:52" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2025-12-09 09:39:52" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(32) "https://www.isentia.com/?p=43742" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" }
Blog
Announcing Lumina: The purpose-built AI suite for PR, Comms, and Public Affairs

An intelligent suite of AI tools trained on the language, workflows, and realities of modern public relations and communications.

Ready to get started?

Get in touch or request a demo.