It’s a truism as old as democracy itself: Politics is all about perception, not facts, and our interminable wait for a Federal election has starkly illustrated that.
The last four months have been a political vacuum. On one hand, we’ve had a small target Opposition holding back on releasing policies for fear of the Government using its incumbency to pick them to pieces.

On the other, the Government has been trying to gather much needed momentum and lift its primary vote to give itself some hope of governing in its own right, while attempting to govern.
Prime Minister Albanese took a major misstep before Christmas by purchasing a $4.3 million clifftop home while a cost-of-living crisis was raging.

It’s not that politicians aren’t allowed to have nice things – Greens and independents top the Parliamentary register for numbers of properties owned – but Albo’s position as PM and perceived failure to pass something called a Pub Test set a bored media running.

As Australia awoke from its summer stupor, it became about Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s purchase of bank shares during the Global Financial Crisis. No matter that nobody could show evidence of insider knowledge or that nobody had noticed in the intervening 15 years.

The Opposition invoked the words “dirt unit” knowing full well that they would have done the same if they’d had the ammunition ready.

Days later, the focus shifted to the Dutton family’s property portfolio and their flipping of 26 investments in three decades. You can bet that the messages behind this one had been validated in focus groups of swinging voters.

It all builds a picture of an Opposition leader disconnected from the middle-class voters he seeks to court. The challenge is making people recall the issue when the election campaign starts for real.

More recent damage has been self-inflicted. Peter Dutton’s pre-Cyclone Alfred dash from his marginal seat of Dickson to the opulent Vaucluse pad of billionaire Justin Hemmes for a lucrative fund-raiser echoed Scott Morrison’s ill-timed Hawaiian holiday.

That it was four days before the day a downgraded Alfred crawled across the Queensland coast and Dutton was back before Prime Minister Albanese fled the target zone for Canberra didn’t matter.
The subsequent Newspoll showed that those voter perceptions of caviar and canapes could still do more damage to the Dutton campaign than a month of crappy weather.

Craig Regan, Senior Account Director, Primary Communication

This year marks a significant milestone in Australia’s history. 60 years since the Freedom Ride, a moment that reshaped the country’s civil rights landscape. In 1965, Charles Perkins and a group of University of Sydney students embarked on a bus journey through rural New South Wales to expose the systemic racism and dire living conditions faced by Aboriginal people. Their brave efforts ignited national and international attention, pushing for social change and equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Charles Perkins’ leadership didn’t stop at the Freedom Ride. In 1984, he made history as the first Aboriginal person to lead an Australian Government department, becoming the Secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. His journey and legacy have left a mark on the path toward reconciliation.

To commemorate the 60th anniversary, our CEO, Chris Hall, attended the Freedom Ride Ball hosted by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC) in collaboration with Uncle Phillip Hall. The event brought together community leaders, elders, and advocates to honour the Freedom Ride’s legacy and continue the conversation around reconciliation in Australia. It was a powerful gathering that allowed for reflection on how far we’ve come, and how much further we must go.

The stories shared during the event were truly inspirational, reminding everyone of the courage it took to stand up against injustice. The evening also served as a significant reminder of the Freedom Ride’s crucial role in shaping the 1967 referendum, which led to important constitutional changes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

We would like to thank MLALC for hosting such a meaningful event and for providing the opportunity to catch up with key figures like Uncle Michael West. It was incredibly moving to hear from participants of the Freedom Ride, including Jim Spiegelman, recognised and celebrated during the night. Their voices and experiences remain an essential part of Australia’s ongoing journey toward equality and reconciliation.

The impact of the Freedom Ride continues to resonate. Here’s to honouring its legacy and forging a path forward together.

Earlier this year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the company would end its US fact-checking program, replacing it with a “Community Notes” system. This shift allows users to flag potentially misleading posts and provide additional context, aiming to empower the community to address misinformation directly on the platform.
With this relaxation of policy, Dunedin NZ has taken the opportunity with a tongue in cheek post to claim the most liveable place in New Zealand [and we think so it should!!].

Meta has stated that independent fact-checking units in Australia will continue their efforts. However, it noted that “before rolling out any changes to our fact-checking program outside the US, we will carefully consider our obligations in each country, including Australia.”

This change reflects a broader trend in social media content moderation, where platforms are turning to community-driven models to manage misinformation.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and other regulatory bodies have been monitoring misinformation on digital platforms, with the federal government considering stronger intervention if voluntary measures prove insufficient. Considering Australia’s stance on combating digital misinformation, a move by Meta to change its approach here will likely face significant scrutiny.

Any shift in social media regulation and platform policies could directly impact your communication strategies, audience reach, and brand credibility. Here’s how to navigate these changes effectively:

Monitor regulatory developments
Keep up to date with announcements from ACMA or other authorities regarding changes to social media regulations in Australia. Understanding these shifts will help proactively adjust your PR and communication strategies.

Strengthen internal fact-checking
Double down on your content verification processes to prevent misinformation affecting brand reputation.

Leverage multiple platforms
Too much reliance on anyone platform is a risk should they change their terms and conditions, their algorithm on you or your account gets blocked. Diversifying across multiple social media channels is a risk reduction strategy.

Engage with trusted sources
Partner with reputable news organisations, industry experts and professional associations to reinforce brand messaging with credible, fact-based information.

Encourage audience fact-checking
Educate your audience on identifying misinformation and promote engagement with trusted sources. This helps build a more informed and resilient community around your brand.

Chris Hall, Chief Executive Officer, Primary Comms Group

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Since partnering with Semperis in November, Primary has already achieved incredible media traction, delivering coverage in Sky News, The Australian Financial Review, and other tier 1 trade and security publications.

We’re excited to be working with the team at Semperis, helping them continue driving success in the ANZ market!

With a proven track record, our IT comms specialists will make great things happen.

Get in touch if we can help.

Legislation introduced into Federal Parliament this week to cap political donations will pass through both Houses quicker than a fast-acting laxative.

The major parties know they’ve been locked in a spending arms race for far too long.

Federal political campaign spending has risen by 144 per cent over the past 20 years, according to the Centre for Public Integrity.  Political parties spent $418 million in the year running up to the 2022 Federal election.

Sure, the independents and minor parties will feel they’re being dealt a dud hand under the proposed new laws that would kick in after the 2025 election, but don’t have the Parliamentary numbers to do much about it.

The Teals may have to go to the extreme length of dropping the pretence of being a community movement and registering as a political party to keep the cash flowing. Clive Palmer will take it to court.

And traditional media companies are going to take a massive financial hit, putting another nail into the coffins of newspapers and news radio.

One overdue change nobody can dispute is the move to political donations being disclosed online in near real-time.

The current archaic system of paper returns, with lax reporting frames and blurred rules between state and federal jurisdictions, defies easy understanding. The grey areas will persist with the states still doing their own thing, but anything is an improvement.

The other constant is the flow-on impact when somebody somewhere hands a whack of cash to a party official. We, the taxpayers, will continue to foot a bill, down the line.

Call it the cost of democracy.

Our electoral system rebates every candidate or party achieving a four-percent quota of the vote in the House of Representatives or the Senate the sum of $2.91 for every first preference vote they attract.

The lawmakers want to increase that to $5 a vote as part of the changes, supposedly to cover the added cost of compliance, which really means having volunteers do some rudimentary data entry.

Craig Regan, Senior Account Director, Primary Communication

The issue is what’s called a “barbecue stopper” in politics – a topic that distracts ordinary people from what they were discussing and starts a fresh conversation

According to a Guardian poll in October, cost of living is the top concern of Australians by a country mile. Not talking about inflation is an attractive idea when you’re a government without the ability to do much about it.

National Cabinet’s endorsement of an age mandate on Friday – strongly backed by Premiers from South Australia and New South Wales – was no surprise. The commitment by the Opposition to have a law passed as early as next week was.

Our finest bureaucratic minds will have 12 months to build a plan to make this ban work – and they’ll have their work cut out.

The UK has implemented age-assurance legislation but is still to decide how it will work. Allowing banks or mobile phone providers to confirm a user is over 18, using facial recognition and asking users to upload a photo to the site that is then matched with official photo ID are all on the table.

Just like an underage kid sneaking into a nightclub to drink, you’d have to think that all of these can be worked around. Facial recognition? Even heard of Artificial Intelligence?

So, here’s an idea: Take politics and polarising/demonised figures like Zuckerberg and Musk out of the equation and ask if mandating age limits for something already in everyday use is practical.

Then look at a paper by researchers from the Black Dog Institute, published in the Medical Journal of Australia last week. It pointedly asks whether increasing social media use is causing more youth mental health problems or if rising trends in youth self‐harm have other causes.

It goes on: “Restricting young people’s access to social media could impede pathways for help‐seeking. This complexity highlights the need for a considered approach.”

Laws that can’t be enforced are as useful as an anonymous Tweet and arguably more harmful when policymakers misread the potential for unintended consequences.

Craig Regan, Senior Account Director, Primary Communication

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shaking up the PR and communication world in ways we couldn’t have predicted a few years ago.

It can supercharge our workflows, analyse data at lightning speed, and bring speedy content and headlines to the table – mind you, with the occasional robotic poetry. Nonetheless, it’s a tool that requires thoughtful handling.

At Primary Comms Group, we’re continually learning how best to integrate new technologies into our workflows and AI is no different. We have welcomed it with an intentional, eyes-wide-open approach.

We also understand that technology evolves faster than we can say “press release”, so we’re committed to learning step-by-step, and adapting while maintaining our ethical foundation. Here’s our view, and some tips, on navigating AI’s rise with caution, curiosity, and confidence.

Taking it step by step

AI has been with us for some years, even if we haven’t realised. Think spell check, or a map app that helps you navigate the best way from A to B using the quickest route. The advent of Large Language Models has made it feel like AI has just arrived but in reality, it is just another step in the evolution of AI.

There are still major improvements to be made before it is fully formed. It’s more of a series of capabilities, with its true potential waiting to be unlocked, however, if we can understand how it works, we can start unleashing its capabilities.

By fostering the right culture at the organisational level, we can also help shape the evolution of how we can benefit from AI, preserving human creativity and avoiding de-skilling, even as we outsource certain tasks.

Tip: Start small and adjust as you go. AI usage guidelines allow you to take advantage of AI’s strengths while keeping its limitations in check. After all, today’s “cutting edge” quickly becomes tomorrow’s “baseline”.

 Recognising AI’s limits

For all its potential, AI is not infallible, nor is it a substitute for expertise of an educated, creative staff member. PR is as much about intuition, storytelling, and context as it is about data. Yes – AI can analyse and generate content, but it lacks the deep human insights that make communication work truly resonate.

It’s essential to scrutinise generated content, reviewing and editing carefully to ensure it aligns with our standards and maintains our unique voice. Validating AI research outputs is also crucial, as these tools can unintentionally perpetuate existing biases in their data model.

One significant issue is the potential for misinformation and deepfakes. AI can make anyone say anything. Data privacy is another issue, especially with open-source large language models like ChatGPT, which rely on vast amounts of data to function. This raises legitimate worries about the security and confidentiality of personal or sensitive information.

Tip: Keep a clear view of where AI fits in and where it falls short, preserving the security of confidential data or information, and ensuring that technology supports human creativity rather than eclipse it.

 Ethics isn’t just a side note

Ethics must be our guiding light in AI’s expansion into PR. Whether we’re using AI to analyse data, create content ideas or forecast trends, the human touch and ethical oversight are essential. Every AI-driven initiative must align with our ethical and professional standards of honesty and integrity.

Additionally, by openly acknowledging AI’s role, we maintain trust and set realistic expectations, reinforcing our commitment to ethical practices.

Tip: Even with the lure of full automation, ethics must remain front and centre. Defining AI usage expectations and employee responsibility ensures integrity.

Critical thinking, self-awareness and transparency key in the age of AI

No matter how “smart” the technology seems, we must maintain a critical eye on its output. We simply can’t afford to relinquish the reins; instead, we must actively steer AI toward the best outcomes while being aware of its biases and limitations and our own!

Tip: Prioritise transparency, acknowledging when AI is involved and how it’s being used to enhance, not replace, the creative process.

Mary-Anne Boustany, Senior Account Director, Primary Comms Group