More science, less PR in climate change message
Crikey readers talk unemployment and why PR flacks should not be the ones selling climate change.
Comments, corrections, clarifications & cock-ups
Apr 14, 2014
The unemployment data that matters
Robert Johnson writes: Re. “The real unemployment figures” (Friday). Marcus L’Estrange’s comment concerning the limitations and perils of labour force data has been largely valid as far back as I can remember. During the 1980s, I was head of employment policy units in two state governments (consecutively, not concurrently!), and unemployment data were produced periodically by the ABS, the Commonwealth Employment Service (people registered for work) and the Department of Social Security (people receiving unemployment benefits).
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john boyd simply does not understand this problem, but he has a firm conviction that he does. he thereby demonstrates the great difficulty we have in communicating the necessary message in an environment that has been polluted by spin and exaggeration on both sides of the question.
his distaste in using the advice of professional communicators such as ad agencies is misplaced. the science, being incomplete, can only go so far. The data needs interpreting and evaluating. this is not a job for scientists per se, though of course they are entitled to participate.
Good point Robert. Perhaps it’s be a bit wonky, but I’d be grateful for a discussion of definitions of unemployment, how they have changed, and Australia’s compared to standard international definitions.