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?
Loren is an experienced marketing professional who translates data and insights using Isentia solutions into trends and research, bringing clients closer to the benefits of audience intelligence. Loren thrives on introducing the groundbreaking ways in which data and insights can help a brand or organisation, enabling them to exceed their strategic objectives and goals.
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.
"
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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
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.
"
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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.
Many organisations know stakeholder engagement matters, but turning that knowledge into an approach that consistently works is another story. At the recent webinar How to Master Your Stakeholder Strategy, leaders from Meridian Energy, the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, and Isentia shared lessons from the field on what meaningful engagement really looks like.
Know who your stakeholders are
Stakeholders aren’t just on the periphery. As Mandy Griffiths from the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing explained, they are “the people who really have a great influence on whether the things that you’re working on or decisions you’re making are successful or not.” Internal stakeholders can be just as critical as external ones, especially in large organisations. Choosing terminology that reflects value and honesty helps too: her team prefers “critical friends” because it signals both importance and the possibility of differing views.
Build trust with evidence
Phil Clarke from Meridian Energy described how evidence can guide engagement strategies. By surveying 500 stakeholders mid-way through a two-year project, his team gained clear insights into what drives trust. This evidence-led approach, he says, “gives teams effectively a cheat sheet for what they need to do to build trust among their stakeholders.” Starting with data rather than assumptions helps teams focus their efforts where it matters most.
Learn through listening
Complex situations, like the pandemic, show why humility and iterative learning are essential. Mandy recalled that asking communities directly about their needs often revealed challenges her team hadn’t anticipated. “So many times we went in thinking we knew what the biggest pain points were, and it turned out to be something else entirely,” she said. Taking the time to listen ensures effort is spent on the right priorities.
Measure, adapt, and personalise
Measurement underpins high-performing strategies. Ngaire Crawford from Isentia stressed that “late teams don’t guess, they measure,” from establishing baselines to tracking engagement and adapting based on what the data shows. Effective strategies also go beyond simple demographics, grouping stakeholders by motivations, concerns, influence networks, and communication preferences. Closing the feedback loop is crucial: “Stakeholders who feel heard are the ones that are most likely to become advocates,” Ngaire explained.
Key takeaways
Treat stakeholders as central, not peripheral.
Use evidence to understand trust and guide decisions.
Listen first, act later, assumptions can mislead.
Measure and adapt continuously.
Personalise engagement based on motivations, not just demographics.
The common thread from the webinar: engagement works best when it’s informed, iterative, and genuinely centred on the people involved.
Watch the full webinar here, or contact our team to see how Isentia’s SRM solutions can help you achieve your stakeholder goals.
Building stakeholder strategies that work in the real world
Many organisations know stakeholder engagement matters, but turning that knowledge into an approach that consistently works is another story. At the recent webinar How to Master Your Stakeholder Strategy, leaders from Meridian Energy, the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, and Isentia shared lessons from the field on what meaningful engagement really looks like. […]
During reputational crises, many brands find themselves pressed into strategies that are entirely reactive. However, a better understanding of a brand's audience and stakeholders – how they communicate and what they value – would empower brands and the teams running their messaging to respond more authentically, helping comms land in the right way at the right time. With AI content taking over audience news and social feeds, brand leadership must invest in creating a framework that actually measures authenticity.
Prashant Saxena, VP of Revenue and Insights, for Isentia (SEA region) in his research paper on "Authenticity in the age of AI" has identified cues or signals that audiences subconsciously look for when identifying if a social post is written by a human or virtual influencer. Understanding these cues gives brands and PR leaders a much needed manual or playbook that guides them with the content audiences expect to consume. These equip us with a practical roadmap with clear implications for AI governance and digital literacy amidst the workplace and audiences.
Why is authenticity in crisis?
There is a trust gap, as audiences show declining faith in brands and their leadership. Some of these factors are highly polarised, such as differing responses to CEOs and their part in society. But the most universal, and nascent, challenge to brand trust appears to be the rollout of AI. Businesses are now under the microscope, with changes to business models, substandard service and inauthentic communications all likely to be blamed on leadership teams haphazardly implementing AI solutions.
Astronomer's former CEO Andy Byron and the controversy at the Coldplay concert has added to this decline in trust and all the more underscores an authenticity crisis. Post the controversy, there was a fake apology statement that was circulated on X and other social media platforms. The company had to release a statement saying that the apology was in fact fake and was concocted by someone who wanted to satisfy audience sentiments. This is very telling in that, audiences will always be more attracted to content that conforms with their views and would accept anything at face value without having the need to fact check.
This underpins the need for brands to be as authentic as possible when it comes to responding to crisis.
Cues in action
Audiences are more alert than ever to signals of what feels genuine online. These subtle markers, from factual accuracy and cultural relevance to tone, consistency, and timing, influence whether people trust a brand’s message, engage with it, or scroll past.
Our analysis of leadership posts on social platforms reveals a pattern. The more authenticity cues a post displayed, the higher the engagement it received. It’s not about relying on one signal but about layering multiple ones together. Posts that showed identity, accuracy, emotional expression, and consistency outperformed those that didn’t. For brands, this insight offers a practical takeaway. Every post can be tested against these cues. The closer the content aligns with them, the more likely it is to spark meaningful engagement. When conversations are filtered through these markers, the most valuable audience feedback comes into focus, the kind that helps brands adjust strategies and connect more deeply with people.
Looking at how tech leaders post on LinkedIn shows just how powerful authenticity cues can be. Piotr Skalski’s celebration of hitting 30,000 GitHub stars combined identity, visuals, community validation, and more - and it drew the highest engagement. Tay Bannerman’s post leaned on accuracy, cultural insight, and emotion, earning slightly less traction, while Oliver Molander’s take on ChatGPT carried fewer cues overall and saw the lowest engagement of the three. This comparison highlights how posts with a richer mix of cues tend to resonate more, while those with fewer signals struggle to spark the same response.
Authenticity isn’t one-dimensional. It’s built from many layers, and brands that balance the scale and efficiency of AI with recognisable human signals will stand out. Those who manage both can achieve more by building trust, relevance, and long-term human connection. Ching Yee Wong, VP of Communications, APEC at Marriott International said, "AI can enhance planning and recommendations, but the human element remains central to the experience. Technology supports efficiency, while cultural sensitivity and personal care must remain human-driven."
How the launch of Chat GPT-5 did not conform with audience expectations
The GPT-5 launch was not the best. The expectations were so high, that audiences knew it was bound to disappoint. Why was it not up to mark? The online vocal users of a brand are the spokespeople that the brand did not choose. These audiences are loyal users of the product and in exchange, they expect that the brand provide them with what they need. The monetary aspect becomes irrelevant if the brand delivers.
When OpenAI launched GPT-5, many long-time users felt let down. The decision to merge earlier models into one version was seen by some as a cost-cutting move, and the disappointment was loudest among the platform’s most loyal audience. Running these reactions through our authenticity cues showed a clear gap in cultural relevance. The release didn’t reflect the expectations or norms of its most vocal users. That’s an important lesson for brands and leaders - audiences want to feel heard. The best way to achieve that is by analysing online conversations through these cues, which can reveal what people truly expect and guide how to respond.
Interested in learning how Isentia can help? Fill in your details below to get access to our latest Authenticity Report and read more about our cues designed to measure brand authenticity.
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Blog
How to rebuild brand trust through authentic communication
Learn the major cues or signals that help PR leaders and brands measure authenticity, to deal with reputation risks and rebuild trust.
