I don't think we talk enough about how dignity is also a human right. Food, water, shelter, education, health care, representation...all of those are human rights that everyone should receive regardless of who they are. But it's also a right to not have to beg for them.

Pursuing timid, incrementalist change makes it difficult to build enthusiastic public support. To put it bluntly, it’s hard to get people excited about a polished turd. Time to think bigger #auspol

An interesting post by our friends at @hopebased.bsky.social about the pitfalls of the 'shrinking civil society' narrative (eg our talk in Australia about crackdowns on protestors): "The shrinking space narrative creates temporary urgency at the expense of lasting despondency."

People are placing greater importance on helpfulness, friendship, social justice, equality, and environmental protection. And yet we witness the growing electoral success of right-wing populist parties promoting political platforms that often stand in direct conflict with these very values. Why?

In these polarised times, there’s more need than ever to reach across divides and have productive conversations about the things that matter most. Our new workshop is designed to build your conversational skills and confidence, helping you to connect, find common ground and spark change 💬💛

Our new guide, developed with Women’s Health Services Network, will give allies the confidence and clarity to speak about sexual and reproductive health in ways that resonate with the values of the broader community. Register here for the launch: events.humanitix.com/webinar-laun...

"Solely reacting to hate speech leaves little space for policymaking—and that’s exactly the far-right’s goal. Diversion is their tactic. To break this cycle of outrage and inaction, we must build the narrative we want and set the agenda" Well said! Many lessons here for #AusPol

Do you work in health promotion? We have a few spots left in our Framing Health workshop series which starts in two weeks! Www.commoncause.com.au/framing-health-training

Great campaign tactics here. Finds the audience where they are already online, generates media, and uses funny, engaging content that's rooted (!) in intrinsic values, even though it's about the $ cost of the drugs. Bravo!

Brisbane Greens MP joins OnlyFans to ‘make people pay attention’ to HIV prevention drug policy

Stop meeting egregious shitfuckery half-way. Genocide, climate destruction, extinction, rising inequality and fascism must be resisted absolutely. Calls to increase taxes on fossil gas exports (as opposed to ending that ecocidal industry) are a nice example of this fatalistic acquiescence.

#OnFrameFriday: We have the opportunity to build understanding about the policy choices that have shaped our current social systems. When we point to the structural causes, we not only make it easier to identify appropriate measures and solutions, we also stop harmful stereotypes in their tracks.

Blog: why "meeting people where they're at" is an outdated approach to messaging: "When we activate unhelpful narratives in people’s brains, we strengthen those narratives further still. If people currently hold unhelpful ideas about our issue, the last thing we want to do is meet them there."

Fascinating. Individualism leads to a feeling of personal shame when lives are impacted by systems. Trump et al offer an antidote to shame...

Election tip: stop buying in to toxic neoliberal frames (like competition and economic growth) and repeating them in the name of "meeting people where they are". It's our job to move people to a better place.

*Election tip*: The 'centre' doesn't exist. Instead, people toggle between worldviews. Priming intrinsic values like family or community in our messages activates a progressive worldview in their brains, boosting support for our issues. More on biconceptualism: www.huffpost.com/entry/biconc...

Election tip: If you have just typed out a fact, wait! Don't press send/post. Stop and think about how to frame your fact using helpful values in a way that will persuade. Facts on their own don't change people's minds. They invite unhelpful interpretation and can backfire. #auspol

*Election tip* If it's in your power, don't use the term 'cost of living' in any of your messaging. Use 'cost of inequality', 'cost of greed' or 'cost of profits' instead. This matters because people don't take action when they can't see a cause or a solution. #auspol #messaging

Today seems like a good moment to re-share our blog post on how to defeat the far right this election: www.commoncause.com.au/news/how-do-...

Thanks to our friends at For Purpose for this timely reminder that a good budget benefits EVERYONE - talk of 'winners and losers' at budget time only reinforces toxic neoliberal narratives. Let's call it out when we see it in the media. #auspol

#OnFrameFriday: Make sure that your numbers come with a clear explanation. When we use numbers to convince people that the problem exists, hoping one statistic will shift them from apathy to action, we can often hurt our cause.

You can now get REALLY location specific warming stripes thanks to @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social era-explorer.climate.copernicus.eu?lat=59.93&ln...

Cognitive biases have a powerful impact on how we process information and messaging. Here's our latest blog post explaining a few of the most common - and what to do to counteract them: www.commoncause.com.au/news/cogniti...

It's always nice when we get new proof that values based messaging works! In this research we found a significant effect in increasing parents' understanding of the effect of #alcohol on underage kids and the importance of not supplying it: www.commoncause.com.au/news/case-st... #healthpromotion

Great reframing of tax in this letter. Maybe from author Mark Haddon, who wrote "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time"?

"Our votes count a lot, especially at the moment with the narrative around disability, it's really important that we can have a voice." www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02...

Countering propaganda from the right is an art and a science. As we approach this next Aus election we're seeing so many great organisations get it wrong and play straight into the opposition's hands. Please help by sharing these slides from FWD last year. photos.app.goo.gl/hQmHrv7p2cqs...

We have just finished two comprehensive message research projects on social housing and homelessness. On 12 March we will be hosting a free webinar to share the insights from our research. If you want to know the most effective way to message on housing pre-election, come along 🏡

Preach! Before ANY comms action two questions must be asked: "Who should our audience be? And what do we want them to do?"

The work that TJP do on combating #disinformation is a real example of excellence and well worth emulating whatever your subject matter. And while you're there you can lend your support to their campaign to get gender affirming care for kids and families in Queensland! 🏳️‍⚧️ 🩷

www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025... Um.

National day of action this Saturday! - Protect trans youth - Overturn the Queensland govt's ban on hormone treatment for young trans people - Call for gender-affirming health care to be accessible and affordable for everyone who needs it transjustice.org.au/youth/

Well said! Stop the "stitch incoming" videos pleeeeese!

Only when the human rights sector banded together and agreed to speak as one, deploying creative campaigning to make clear exactly who people seeking asylum were, did they manage to shift opinion and with it policy. wordstowinby-pod.com/people-seeki...

For years, Australia maintained offshore prisons, unreachable by commercial air, for people seeking asylum. Invisible to mainstream Australians, these people were even more easily demonized as "queue jumpers" and "terrorist threats."

As most Common Cause enthusiasts already know, countering false information the wrong way can do more harm than good. That's why we’ve partnered with our friends at The Workshop in Aotearoa to bring their evidence-based training course on countering false information to Australia. Come along!

+1 for Australian progressives, please!

Super fascinating climate-communication study making the rounds today, thanks to @katharinehayhoe.com. Skeptics who changed their minds went through a three-step process, which began with a "distancing from their ideological community." 👇 🧵

This is literally Lakoff’s strict father moral structure. Saying the neuro cognitive framework out loud is just, wow. @gilduran.com @lolgop.bsky.social

Mel Gibson's "Daddy" comments giving you the ick? If you've read @george-lakoff.com they might have rung a bell too. Here's what it all means: www.theframelab.org/daddy-issues...

In the fog of words at the start of the new presidential term in the USA, this clip shone out to me as a powerful values-led message that references real people with real lives. If you've seen any other little rays of narrative light, please do share them :-) www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

We can learn from successful movements that radically shifted views and policies on immigrants/migrants/people seeking asylum. First stop, Australia with 4 wins in a row to dismantle decades of evil asylum policy. wordstowinby-pod.com/people-seeki...

@anatosaurus.bsky.social is working overtime to analyse and advise in this crucial time. Hope you are getting some sleep Anat and keep up the good work! Love this advice. How would it apply in Australia pre-election? Ideas welcome folks...

The psychological challenge of climate change - our brains are hard-wired to respond to immediate threats, not a slow-motion disaster happening at a global scale (and that's not even considering the tsunami of misinformation hitting us every day).

A brilliant new paper on conservation patriarchy - must be widely read: ‘We conclude that patriarchal norms and structures within conservation must be questioned and dismantled to make conservation more effective and just’ www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Our friends at Common Cause UK have facilitated this very useful summary of the connection between patriarchy and conservation. Part of this is the tendency for conservation organisations to insist on valuing nature in monetary terms when arguing for its protection. www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Great thread by John Cook about the technique based arguments you can use to counter disinformation (more effective than getting into the content itself):

In reality, those who vote conservative have other reasons, and we must understand them. Conservative populism is cultural — not economic — in nature. Conservative populists see themselves as oppressed by elitist liberals who look down their noses at them.