Shaking the ground the Left stands on, & how to rebuild with innovation. First part of a series, analyzing the ALP.
First an analysis: Politics is in a pre-innovation stage in Australia and NSW.
The reason is the rise of technology, enabling new communication methods. A Kevin-Rudd 24/7 or Obama ‘yes we can’ campaign, using social media, profited from more the tools available than the contemporary alternate and regressive right approach (ie. stop the __, block the __).
This is being stood on the head by movements like the Tea Party in the U.S. are clearly orchestrated uses by a reform based party of the Right. The Greens too have benefited from social media technology, and true believers in Green Policy, who may historically know what they are against, but not what they are for. At least, until recently (thanks in Australia to Bob Brown who is a veteran politician now).
But social media is a tool. The Web is a tool. It’s a medium not a message.
Governments are in a new paradigm sparked by new communication tools, which capsized the balance between policy idea & policy implementation.
And social media is not the answer.
Innovation in politics.
Our hypothesis is that party that can implement and communicate change, and/or to actually deliver services is the party that wins.
The problem though is:
a) Poll method for measuring what voters care about is broken, when phone / mail use is shrinking;
b) Pyramid paradigm of all bureaucracies is being taken over by networked entities: e.g. GetUp! versus the Dept of XYZ. This means some public service is out-communicated and cannot respond nor implement;
c) Technology change means policies are outdated before they are implemented;
d) Finally, decision makers are reacting to old stereotypes of voters not new data metrics.
Being out-of-date it is delivering the worst results in the history of the Australian Left progressive cause.
In a time when the data would show a far stronger bedrock of support for social policies, the data break down of that support is wrong, hence the decision is wrong.
Where is the innovation?
The innovation element is missing, and voters are disengaging from Left parties, whilst being increasingly disillusioned with distribution of wealth and equity issues. A carbon tax and a resource rent tax would once have won broad support. In the Australia of my childhood, taxation and big government enjoyed big support, why not now?
Why not now?
Next in this series: Part 2: Electoral Trends — how Australia has changed and this change is forgotten.
COMPANY DISCLAIMER: I work for 2thinknow, and I/we have also earned fees consulting across government and business. We have at times editorialized also for a candidate on Left or Right (based on innovation potential), met Ministers of both sides, and assisted both Left and Right organizations.
Our innovation view is that political parties must have ‘differing views’ and that it is the tension and compromise between those views that can drives, improve and create innovation as positive change. This is the same view held by the U.S. founding fathers. At times, according to our innovation concepts, some parties and people will better drive innovation.
PERSONAL DISCLAIMER — My personal views are centrist — generally socially progressive who believes in business and markets, and that government action is possible in some circumstances and will succeed if based on the best data.