It’s time to stop talking about spin… please
The term “spin doctor” is derogatory and the industry shouldn’t joke about its work being “spin”, argues Tony Jaques. Because, as assistant minister for homelessness Luke Howarth recently proved, words matter.
Talking about positive PR as ‘spin’ is misleading and unhelpful, and it really is time we moved past this derogatory language. But a federal minister dragged us backwards recently when he publicly called for putting a “positive spin” on homelessness.
This wasn’t just some over-eager publicist trying to reframe the latest gaffe by a B-list celebrity. It was the minister newly appointed to be responsible for homelessness talking about a serious social issue which plagues our cities.
Discussing his role as assistant minister for homelessness on national radio, Queensland MP Luke Howarth said that while about 116,000 Australians were homeless, 99.5% of the population are homed and living in safe places. He also tried to make it sound good that homelessness is not growing as quickly as the population.
[Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
Nice spin.
Time to stop letting Tony Jaques talk I say.
Mooooooooove on