The Art of Persuasion

Anne Elliot saw the moment her boss decided to go off script. His eyes glazed over as he shifted his gaze away from the teleprompter; Anne could almost hear his internal monologue. The people love me for being real. They want authenticity, not canned politician’s crap. Her fingers curled into a fist. It was a far cry from the rallies of her uni days, when she had cheered for inclusive policy. Shaking herself back to the present, Anne heard Max start to freewheel in response to Pete Evans’ question. A hard-nosed journalist from the National Herald, Pete knew exactly what kind of answer he’d get. This was not going to end well. “It’s a good question, Pete. Australians are being crushed under cost-of-living pressures, families struggling to make ends meet, just like mine once did.” Max paused for effect. “And let’s be honest, the government’s lax immigration policies are driving this crisis. People want an end to the open door.” He stared down the camera, smoothing his grey hair. Anne’s s...