IR: The Spin

As much as I detest the concept of spin, and spin-doctors (and especially the increasing acceptance of such as a legitimate branch of the media), the Spin Doctors segment on Sally Loane's ABC 702 show can sometimes be an enlightening listen.

Today, guests Bruce Hawker (of Hawker Britton, best known for its work with the ALP) and Sue Cato (of Cato Counsel) discussed the battle of the campaigns on industrial relations reforms - also, peripherally, the topic of discussion at last night's Fabian Society forum, at which the ACTU's Greg Combet and Australian Industry Group's Heather Ridout were guest speakers (and former journalist Peter Lewis, now consultant to the ACTU's campaign, was chair).

It's a popular misconception that the success of the union movement's argument lies almost solely on the ACTU's series of TV advertisements. While undoubtedly effective, there has been far more to it than this. While Ms Cato argued that it would be the government who would get the upper hand media-wise - armed as they are with Andrew Robb (progenitor of the famous `chains' GST ad campaign) and an estimated $20m of taxpayer's money - what the government does not have is an army of union members and other concerned people who will continue promotion through such things as public events, media agitation, and information handouts. It is a battle that all concerned acknowledge will take years, but could also be one of the most important in recent political history.