Lies, Taxes and a Lack of Authenticity
By: Emma Hannigan, Curly Top Media
Tags: Politics, Bill Shorten, Authenticity, Scott Morrison, Jacinda Ardern

As we prepare for the next five weeks of political campaigning, it will be interesting to see if anyone in Canberra has noticed the public’s desire for authenticity.

The antithesis of authenticity is the three word slogan: Stop the Boats, Jobs and Growth, Make America Great.

While the corporate world has embraced the concept of authenticity, vulnerability and communicating in a way that connects on an emotional level, politicians are stuck in a world of back stabbing, dog whistling and the three word slogan.

Prime Minister, Scott Morrison has already rolled out his latest line for the coming election campaign: “Lies and taxes”, demonstrating that his plan is to continue down the path of attack.

The language of politics is finely tuned and targeted but is anyone listening?

This has been declared Labor’s election to lose, but increasingly both sides sound the same.

Zali Steggall

The rise of independents is a sign that the public want something different. The two major parties will have to deal with the challenge of candidates like former Olympian and barrister Zali Steggall who is running against Tony Abbott in the seat of Warringah, in Sydney’s northern beaches. Steggall says she was inspired by Dr Kerryn Phelps, the Independent candidate who replaced Malcolm Turnbull and won the seat of Wentworth.

The last time I remember a politician sounding like a real person was in 2015 when Labor’s deputy leader, then foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek, spoke of her brother’s death and her husband’s drug addiction.

At what point are politicians going to realise that we want leaders with humanity, leaders we can connect with and leaders who care more about the greater good of the country than attacking the other side.

One only needs to look at Jacinda Ardern’s popularity to see what the public wants in its politicians. A leader who is compassionate, authentic and unifying.

In the aftermath of the Christchurch shooting she spoke about “Sympathy and love for all Muslim communities.” In a world of wall building and offshore detention, it is hard to imagine another leader using this kind of language.

Her popularity comes from her connection to voters, and her ability to talk to people in an open and honest way that doesn’t sound like a traditional politician. People trust her authenticity.

American politics is experiencing the same phenomenon, just four months into her political career Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has become the second most talked-about politician in America after Trump.

Ocasio-Cortez, the best storyteller since Barack Obama, was working as a waitress and bartender when she launched her campaign. She unseated one of the most powerful Democrats in the House in the primary. Her “lightning round” on money in politics went viral.

What both of these leaders have in common is their ability to communicate authentically in a way that connects with people.

As we gear up for the next five weeks of campaigning, let’s hope that Australian politicians can find some of that authenticity.

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