Writer
Noel Turnbull
Noel Turnbull has had a 40-year-plus career in public relations, politics, journalism and academia. He blogs at http://noelturnbull.com/blog/
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The lack of trust in Morrison and the media
The latest Roy Morgan Research Trust and Distrust quarterly report is bad news for Scott Morrison and the media. Continue reading »
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Once upon a time workers had trade union support
Many workers today – whether casuals or professionals – would love such a life today.Once upon a time, more than a century ago, stonemasons working on new Melbourne University buildings walked off the job in their campaign to win an eight hour working day. Continue reading »
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Australia is more corrupt than ever, but the media stays quiet
Australia has a deteriorating global corruption ranking — and the mainstream media is ignoring it entirely. Continue reading »
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Out of focus: the pitfalls of political market research
Political parties spend big on focus group research with the approach of an election – but changes in methodology raise questions over its worth. Continue reading »
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Tactical voting: Labor supporters can tip balance towards independents
The push to elect independent — mainly female — candidates in Coalition seats in 2022 will partly rely on co-operation from “the other side”. Continue reading »
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Fossil fuels: the campaign to force PR agencies to clean up their act
The links between advertising agencies and the oil and gas industry are coming under increasing pressure through name-and-shame tactics. Continue reading »
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What successful capitalism can teach Scott Morrison
Corporate leaders who show empathy and kindness and foster a positive culture are the most successful — the PM should take heed. Continue reading »
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More winning suggestions for Labor to take on board
Our recent 10-point plan for an ALP victory at the next election prompted a reaction that shows many voters desperately want Labor to stand for something. Continue reading »
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Surge in independent candidates illustrates mistrust of the party system
A report into the state of Australian politics should serve as a wake-up call for the major parties — and anyone who cares about the nation’s future. Continue reading »
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A 10-point winning strategy for Labor
The Albanese-led Opposition is having trouble cutting through to voters despite the Morrison government’s corruption and waste — here’s a plan to turn things around. Continue reading »
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PM ignores our modelling experts and hires a controversial global consultant
The awarding of a $6 million climate modelling contract to McKinsey was no surprise given the government’s record of rorts, secrecy and corruption. Continue reading »
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Liar, liar pants on fire
It is commonly believed if you are going to consistently tell lies you need either a good memory or a hide like a rhinoceros. These days neither seems to be necessary. Continue reading »
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Will Australia learn from Saigon?
It is a few months more than 179 years since 4,500 British and ‘Native’ troops and 12,000 camp followers were forced to leave Kabul. Continue reading »
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The mystery political staffer running government rorting.
It is now known that one person in the Prime Minister’s office drew up the spreadsheets for both the sports and car park rorts. Continue reading »
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Commemoration is the second casualty of war
The Australian Government is very, very slow to address veterans’ problems – witness the tardiness on the veterans’ suicide issue – yet it is always quick off the mark to dream up some new commemoration of conflict. Continue reading »
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The Nordics are way out in front for happiness in the COVID era
It may be surprising but a lot of people in the world are happier in the midst of COVID and lockdowns than they were – although Australia is a slight exception. Continue reading »
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Wanting a social marketing campaign on Covid and getting a band aid instead
There is one thing almost everybody commenting about Australia’s poor vaccine roll out agrees with – the need for an advertising campaign. Continue reading »
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Making atheists and doubters count in the next Census
While fundamentalist Christians are busy infiltrating the Liberal Party the Rationalist Society of Australia (RSA) and other groups have launched a campaign – the Census 21 Campaign – to encourage people to tick the no religion box in the August 10 2021 Australian Census. Continue reading »
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What does it take to get sacked from the Morrison Cabinet?
Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away there was a concept called the Westminster principle of Ministerial responsibility – if you failed in your responsibility you resigned or got sacked. Continue reading »
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The difference between fake and genuine apologies
These days there are frequent apologies, non-apologies, refusals to apologise and extended qualifications of apologies with weasel phrases such as “this is not who we are” – despite the behaviour of the organisation uttering the words obviously being exactly who and what they are. Continue reading »
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AICD outflanks Morrison on the left
The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) doesn’t immediately spring to mind as one of the major progressive voices – except perhaps in contrast with Scott Morrison. Continue reading »
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Climate tipping point looms
It is ironic that the most successful film – in box office terms – about climate change and dramatic changes to the earth was made by Rupert Murdoch’s 20th Century Fox. Continue reading »
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Liberal Party accusations on Premier Andrews’ spinal injury
The Victorian Liberal Opposition has been clutching at straws for some time – witness their landslide loss at the last election – but now they are now sinking into desperate measures with this latest attack on Premier Daniel Andrews. Continue reading »
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Australian barriers to electric vehicles and batteries
There are two significant barriers to the take-up of electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia – publicly accessible charging infrastructure suitable for a large country, and Scott Morrison. Continue reading »
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The rich are getting richer and richer – what is Labor planning to do about it?
While Federal Labor is disappearing into a fearful huddle desperate to avoid any suggestion it would ever try to make Australia a more equitable place, the rich are getting richer and richer. Continue reading »
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Morrison churlishly ignores scientific achievement
Scott Morrison’s churlishness is always on show when some Australian achieves great success in any area when Morrison’s perceived political enemies lurk. Continue reading »
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An intellectual populist precursor
Before Maggie Thatcher, Nigel Farage, John Howard, George Osborne and Donald Trump there was Enoch Powell. Continue reading »
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Our Christian heritage and the culture wars
The culture war drum-beats are sounding again – pounded out by the usual suspects in the Murdoch media and among shock jocks and the Morrison Government. Continue reading »
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When does Scotty’s frenzied marketing become counter productive?
The majority of Australians aren’t that interested in politics. They have their life to get on with and really only get involved in issues which affect them directly – like vaccinations – or which touch a nerve as Morrison’s handling of women’s issues has with Australian women. Continue reading »
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Debunking misinformation and climate change
It might be surprising given the scale of the problem, but there is an emerging consensus about the current status of the science of misinformation and its debunking in respect to climate change. Continue reading »