Noel Turnbull

Noel Turnbull has had a 50-year-plus career in public relations, politics, journalism and academia. He blogs at http://noelturnbull.com/blog/

Noel's recent articles

US belief in national exceptionalism collapses

Donald Trump promised he would make America great again. Instead he has presided over a significant collapse in belief in American exceptionalism.

Three different views on post-COVID recovery

Two reports on social and economic options for post-COVID-19 recovery, one from the Grattan Institute and one from Phil Ruthven, have recently been published. We can assume there is a third, not yet public: a snap back and marketing plan lurking in the Prime Ministers mind.

Google is not always the best answer

Google has become the default casual research tool for most people, albeit a sometimes dangerous one for students with AI plagiarism software widely used in universities. Yet print editions of various reference texts are still of greater value and utility than online searches.

How and why political parties are corrupted in Victoria and elsewhere

Modern Australian political parties are more likely to be corrupted by ideological or religious fanatics and power-seekers than by disputes about policy and how to get into government.

The battle to shape perceptions of political parties

Right wingers are better at framing policies than progressive parties.

NOEL TURNBULL. Who cares about scandals, incompetence and corruption?

Recently the New Daily ran two Michael Pascoe pieces exposing a $2.5 billion regional grants program rort 25 times bigger than the sports rorts. Forwarding it on to someone elicited the surprising response: Who cares?

NOEL TURNBULL. There's no doubt Morrison is swimming against a tidal wave Part 3

The Morrison Government is adopting the newest form of doubting climate change by arguing that yes it does exist but that it can all be fixed by some unproven technological developments such as carbon capture or hydrogen both of which may end up looking a bit like nuclear fusion just around the corner for decades.

NOEL TURNBULL. Nev Power's fossil mates still pushing doubt - Part 2

In 2008 David Michaels published a book Doubt is their Product. How Industrys Assault on Science Threatens your Health which was instrumental in the subsequent exposure of the systematic efforts of various industries to raise doubt about the science relating to areas from tobacco to todays climate change.

NOEL TURNBULL. Nev is never in doubt

Reflecting on when the Prime Minister rang to ask him head the Governments COVID-19 Task Force Nev Power said he couldnt refuse the PM reacting as any responsible citizen would.

NOEL TURNBULL. They're not all knukcle-dragging proto fascists

It is often easy to imagine that all Americans are unhinged, gun-toting, Bible bashing, conspiracy believers, LBQT+ haters and Trump supporters.

NOEL TURNBULL. The devastating social costs of inequality

While the number of inequality indices and ratios is proliferating there has been less sustained attention to the social costs associated with it.

NOEL TURNBULL. Should companies using tax havens get pandemic stimulus funds?

Denmark and France are blocking pandemic financial assistance to any firms registered in tax havens.

NOEL TURNBULL. The origins of Anzackery

In the late 1950s and early 1960s Anzac Day was in decline a malaise exemplified by Alan Seymours play The One Day of the Year, the origins of Anzackery.

NOEL TURNBULL. New insights into US attitudes to COVID-19

The phrase only in America is one which is deep in possible meanings. In particular it lays itself open to the deconstruction demonstrated in the old Jewish joke about Stalin and Trotsky.

NOEL TURNBULL.What a difference a change of government makes - to the Murdoch media

It is frequently asserted that if you change the government you change the country. But perhaps the assertion that if you change the government you also change the way the media particularly the Murdoch media reports on a governments policies might be more apposite in Australia.

NOEL TURNBULL. Australians aren't like that are they?

As consumers fight over toilet rolls and marauding bus-loads of city dwellers pillage local country stores of products, the PM says we will get through it all because we are Australians. This is probably a good time to ask the question what are Australians really like?

NOEL TURNBULL. Compulsive leadership posturing

The PM seems not to understand, leaders dont have to demonstrate they are leaders they just are. True leadership doesnt have a particular style or descriptor. It just is.

NOEL TURNBULL. Mercenaries throughout history and film

The recent death of the 102 year old Michael Mad Mike Hoare reminds us of when the last of the mercenaries who fought in the worlds wars were replaced by mega-mercenary companies to which the United States and others have outsourced many military operations.

NOEL TURNBULL. Credulity, stupidity and two types of infection

As the coronavirus infection spreads it is hard not to think that it might be a good idea for one of the recently infected, Peter Dutton, to be isolated on either Christmas or Manus Islands rather than one of the various properties he owns.

NOEL TURNBULL. Grand Prix's grand claims

There may well be a benign side to the Australian Grand Prixs consistent overstatement of how many people attend the event the potential number of coronavirus infections will be correspondingly reduced by the multiple by which the Grand Prix exaggerates its attendance.

NOEL TURNBULL. The foundational U.S. myth

All societies survive on myths whether fraudulent, foundational or both but one of the most widely of those celebrated among Western world nations (other than Christmas and which encompasses both) is the US Thanksgiving holiday.

NOEL TURNBULL. COVID-19 communication in a pandemic

Most governments are hopeless at communicating risks except for the imaginary ones they conjure up to attack their opponents.

NOEL TURNBULL. Who is the world's outstanding journalist?

Who is the worlds outstanding journalist? Its a question which seems particularly important given the current status of journalism; the rise of fake news online; and, the need for journalists to be constantly posting to get their employers online media figures up.

NOEL TURNBULL. The real ScoMo: A cross between Rasputin and Crocodile Dundee

Up until recently Morrison has managed one bit of very successful marketing himself. But now the real ScoMo the one seen in his career before politics is becoming more apparent.

NOEL TURNBULL. Why not Huawei Jose?

Australia has, as usual, meekly followed suit to ban Huawei from a potential 5G network at the behest of the United States.

NOEL TURNBULL. Didn't that go well?

Scottie from marketing called in Russel from marketing for help. And didnt that go well?

NOEL TURNBULL. Hope despite climate change denialists indefatigability

There is no doubt about climate change denialists they keep shifting shape and keep manoeuvring to cast doubt on scientific reality irrespective of whatever events make their arguments look ridiculous.

NOEL TURNBULL. Morisson has rent seekers salivating.

Australias pre-eminent rent seekers must be salivating at the thought that the PM might evolve its policy on climate change and will be counting up the billions they may reap from his likely emissions reductions schemes.

NOEL TURNBULL. - This is how you do it to appear genuine.

While Scott Morrison was saying it was fortunate no-one had died on Kangaroo Island and forcing people to shake his hand another PM quietly, and without seeking publicity, showed him how he should be behaving.

NOEL TURNBULL. The Morrison Government tries to get empathetic

The Morrison Governments is trying a new ploy one which is beyond even the wildest satirical imagination. It has hired an empathy consultant.

NOEL TURNBULL. It's not the marketing - it's the marketer

Scott Morrison has failed a fundamental marketing test-communicating authenticity.

NOEL TURNBULL. Innovation and inequality - not as simple as the tech titans make out

If you were told that an Australian politician had published a new book, backed by a solid evidence base, with a highly original take on a major problem the normal response would be to wonder if Barry Jones had a new book out.

NOEL TURNBULL. Australian right wing religious fury over The Economist

The Australian right wing seem to be embarking on another cultural crusade this time against what is probably the best weekly news magazine (which the editors insist on calling a newspaper) in the world, The Economist.

NOEL TURNBULL. The wrong way to make political - or any - decisions

The Morrison Governments decision-making is about to get worse if thats possible as Cabinet submissions are apparently to be replaced by PowerPoint presentations. Presumably the full Cabinet submissions will be available and a few Ministers may read them but the reality is that the use of PowerPoint (PP) will discourage the rest from even attempting to read the executive summary.

NOEL TURNBULL. The Earth gets its day in court

Last month the Earth got its first day in court in cases against ExxonMobil lodged in New York and Massachusetts in which it was alleged, among other things, that the company misled the public about its product.

NOEL TURNBULL. The political limbo rock - how low can you go?

One of the best ways to determine how history will judge a politician is not to tot up what they achieved but to try to evaluate the depths they sometimes sank to as they pursued their careers.

NOEL TURNBULL. The political limbo rock - how low can you go

One of the best ways to determine how history will judge a politician is not to tot up what they achieved but to try to evaluate the depths they sometimes sank to as they pursued their careers.

NOEL TURNBULL. The productiivity paradox solution - it's business wot dunnit

In the age of secular stagnation although the ages dawn has not yet dawned on the Australian government one of the central economic questions is: what has caused productivity growth to decline? As far back as 1987, Robert Solow, a Nobel laureate in economics, said: You can see the computer age everywhere but in the productivity statistics. This failure of massive investment in information technology to boost productivity growth became known as the productivity paradox.

NOEL TURNBULL. Halloween hex for Trump

While it will probably solidify Trump support in the minds of some Christians for instance the US versions of Australias Sydney Anglican Archbishop and Southern snake handlers a campaign is being conducted by Michael M. Hughes to bind Donald Trump.

NOEL TURNBULL. Blunders of our governments

What would you include in a list of Australian government blunders if you were preparing a book like Anthony King and Ivor Crewes 2013 book Blunders of our Governments ? King and Crewe looked at British governments both Tory and Labour and came up with a long list including the Millennium Dome (Blair); the poll tax (Thatcher); Private Finance Initiatives; IT disasters and others.

NOEL TURNBULL. The Kurds. Yearning for a new Saladin

Over centuries when faced with adversity, invasions and threats much of the Arab world has often yearned for a new Saladin.

NOEL TURNBULL. Something big - but very different - is happening in Texas

In the 43 years since the last Democrat Presidential candidate, Jimmy Carter, won Texas there has been increasing speculation that it could happen again.

NOEL TURNBULL. Max Weber's Politics as a Vocation in 2019

A century after Max Webers Politics as Vocation was published and 101 years after he delivered the speech on which it was based it is fascinating to use the speech as a yardstick against which one can evaluate politicians like Scott Morrison, Boris Johnson and Donald Trump.

NOEL TURNBULL. 181 CEOs take on Milton Friedman

When 181 US chief executives, organised by the Business Roundtable, issued a collective statement on the purpose of the corporation it caused fury among some investors and economists; joy among some activists; cynicism among other activists; and, horror among conservative commentators.

NOEL TURNBULL. Some surprising US news - if you haven't been watching

It is easy to be alternately frightened, appalled and head-shakingly despairing about what comes out of Trumps United States. Officials deleting all references to climate change from official documents; immigration policies that make Peter Dutton look like a raging leftie; ongoing attempts to ban abortion or make them impossible to get; spiralling defence spending compared with poor health and social services; and, increasing inequality.

NOEL TURNBULL. Democracy and its discontents

Much of the fevered discussion on the future and failings of democracy is based on misconceptions, particularly the fact that some see democratic discontent and growing authoritarianism as a re-run of the 1930s something possible but extremely unlikely.

Tim Fischer and the Battle of Coral-Balmoral

Tim Fischers death reminds us that the Australians fought an even bigger, longer and more deadly battle in Vietnam than Long Tan the Battle of Coral- Balmoral at which he was wounded.

NOEL TURNBULL. They did what they were trained to

They did what they were trained to do, a friend and fellow Vietnam veteran said about the new film, Danger Close, when we caught up this week. This was not to denigrate in any way the sacrifice and bravery of 108 infantrymen with supporting artillery, helicopters and ultimately Armoured Personnel Carriers. Rather he meant to emphasise that the Australian Army trained, trained and trained its members to confront exactly that sort of situation and worked to inculcate a culture and camaraderie which produced professionalism, resilience and bravery.

NOEL TURNBULL. It's not only the Russians

As well as having to keep an eye out for Russian electoral interference we now need to watch out for the fake news promulgated by knights of the realm and the employee whistle blowers who provide the evidence of what their knightly employers, such as Sir Lynton Crosby and his company CTF Partners, do.

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