MICHAEL MANGOLD

“I am no mechanic, but my job has given me an extraordinary opportunity to look under the bonnet of organisations when things go awry. I have peered inside the operations of major mining and financial-services corporations, religious institutions, media and sporting empires, universities, courts, and political parties. In the process, I have been struck by the gulf between corporate brands and the reality of their business models and workplace culture." (from "Working for the Brand: how corporations are destroying free speech.”

page 2 Working for the Brand Josh Bornstein

The power structures and cultural norms in Australia are heavily influenced by corporatisation and marketing through screen-based communication technologies and strategies. The behavioural data and analytics they produce determine the technology mixes and drive the strategies. Governments at all levels in Australia (federal, state and local council) have legions of researchers and spin doctors to analyse, process and shape public opinion to support their election prospects and hold on power. All too often media platforms are complicit because power and conflict are clickable assets.

Community consultation is an anathema to corporatised politicians and governments because listening, learning and thinking are difficult, applying the DEAD (Decide Educate Announce Defend) decision making principle makes it far easier for them to maintain their dominance of the communication channels and the focus on the content they feed into them.

I refuse to give in.

Traditional ownership of Australia’s lands and seas by past, present and future Indigenous Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders must be acknowledged. These lands and seas always were and always will be theirs. Non-indigenous Australians must learn and accept this lesson if they truly want to understand Country.

Indigenous Australians must also be recognised in the Australian Constitution with the acceptance of The Uluru Statement from the Heart, 26 May 2017.