Voices of Australia | Building Trust in Political Communication

Voices of Australia | Truth, Trust and Politics | Limited Series Summary With the 2025 federal election approaching, trust in politics and the media is at an all-time low. Unchecked misinformation is spreading, political discourse is increasingly polarised, and voters struggle to separate fact from fiction. Can we rebuild trust before it’s too late? In this episode, Mary Gearin speaks with Bill Browne, Director of the Democracy & Accountability Program at The Australia Institute, and Mark Kenny, journalist and Professor at ANU, to explore the crisis of trust in political communication. They discuss the media’s role in shaping public perception, the impact of misinformation on elections, and the decline of trust in democratic institutions. With election campaigns becoming battlegrounds for misleading narratives, they examine whether stronger truth-in-political-advertising laws and greater media accountability could help restore public confidence. How can politicians and the media rebuild credibility? Who should be held accountable for misinformation? And most importantly, how do we strengthen democracy before Australians head to the polls? Takeaways Exploring truth and political trust Misinformation fuels social media profits News spreads faster than ever Mistruths amplified in the digital age Youth disengagement threatens democracy Politicians prioritise power over people Diverse leaders strengthen democracy Media struggles to stay relevant Fear reshapes global politics Facts and perception gap widens New voices shape the media landscape Legacy media losing public trust Understanding sceptics builds engagement Creative messaging aids public health Trust in politics needs accountability Political engagement diversifies Skepticism grows toward mainstream narratives Messaging must connect with communities Trusted figures boost public health Voters demand more from politicians Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Truth, Trust, and Politics 02:35 The Evolution of Facts and Mistruths 06:15 The Business of Misinformation 08:13 Democracy and Political Disengagement 11:00 The Role of Politicians in Society 15:43 Media's Accountability and the Fear Factor 20:35 The Existential Crisis of Journalism 23:44 The Evolving Landscape of Media Influence 26:14 Legacy Media vs. New Voices 28:14 Engaging the Vaccine Skeptics 32:01 Innovative Communication Strategies 32:54 I have been disappointed 33:41 Old Guard Versus New Guard