Has the influence of media dumbed down politics? Are politicians today more motivated by media profile than sound policy development? Has political debate become more about entertainment than the attempt to reach the best policy solutions? And does the way politics interacts with media to shape public opinion have an adverse impact on democracy?

There is a growing belief in some quarters that the influence of the media on political life has become increasingly detrimental. There can be little doubt that this influence has increased and that the behaviour of politicians has changed in accordance with this. Political parties have always needed the means to address the public that the media provides, and there has always been spin. But has this relationship really spun out of control?

The Honourable John Kerin AM had a long and distinguished career in politics, holding a number of cabinet posts, including Treasurer, Minister for Trade and Overseas Development, and Minister for Primary Industries and Energy. He is also a Distinguished Alumnus of the ANU College of Business and Economics. In this lecture he shares the experience of his long career as a parliamentarian and statesman to reflect on the changing relationship between politics and media and asks, “have things really got that bad, or are the doomsayers overstating the case?”.