Most Popular Language (Maybe Even Buzzwords) From The 2021 Federal Budget

Most Popular Language (Maybe Even Buzzwords) From The 2021 Federal Budget
B&T Magazine
Edited by B&T Magazine



Analysis by Isentia has revealed the most popular language from last night’s Federal Budget.

Isentia has examined the word usage in budget speeches for the past decade to see how governments have used words and language over time. This messaging analysis, the firm argues, helps us understand how politicians are framing their budgets beyond the major spending announcements.

But instead of talking about major spends the government focused on talking about jobs, and while they did not break the record for mentions of the word jobs, as expected they still mentioned the word an inordinate number of times, Isentia found.

Andrew Ledovskikh, ‎insights specialist for ANZ at Isentia, commented: “Faced with a massive budget deficit and economy recovering from a global economic shock, the Morrison government has announced a raft of spending measures and pivoted away from talk of balancing budgets.”

“The Coalition generally does not like to talk about budgets and surpluses as much as Labor did and particularly avoids the topic when there is not good news,” he said.

“This budget speech avoided a discussion of deficits, surpluses and balance that have often been a focus in budget nights over the past decade.”

While Coalition governments tend to talk less about their “investments” and “spending”, they do regularly like to point out their “record investments” in specific areas.

The Morrison government has also made a point of highlighting policies that are aimed at women, using the word more often than any government in the past decade.

The government has also surprisingly been one of the only governments in the past decade to use the phrase “climate change” in the budget speech.

It was only mentioned once last night, but that’s still more than most other budgets, which have avoided directly using the phrase.

The safety of Australians from external and internal threats (not including road safety) has been a theme mentioned in most Coalition budgets over the past decade.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg mentioned it nine times in the 2021 budget speech, more than the Turnbull government mentioned it in three years and Abbott in two.

The armed forces got a mention and there was increased spending announced in light of rising tensions with China. The Gillard government never mentioned safety in a budget speech.

While “spending” continued to be a dirty word for Morrison, with only one direct mention, the Morrison government continued talking about their “investments” at record rates for a Coalition government.

More than any other government in the past decade the Morrison government has tried to highlight their and the Australian people’s values on budget night, and link the budget to those values, Isentia said.

Last night was no exception with Frydenberg again recounting the values of the Coalition government that underpinned the budget, although only once this year.




Please login with linkedin to comment

Federal Budget 2021 iSentia

Latest News

Revium Snags Peter Bauld From Deloitte Digital
  • Advertising

Revium Snags Peter Bauld From Deloitte Digital

Revium, a leading full-service digital and AI consultancy, has announced the appointment of Peter Bauld (lead image) as Executive General Manager. Revium is a full-service digital and AI consultancy with over 20 years of experience creating engaging digital experiences for leading organisations and their customers. Bauld joins Revium after an illustrious career spanning over two […]

Veridooh Snatches Prashand Menon From ScentreGroup
  • Advertising

Veridooh Snatches Prashand Menon From ScentreGroup

Out-of-home OOH) and digital media leader Prashand Menon (lead image) has joined OOH ad tech company Veridooh as group business director within NSW and QLD. Menon joins Veridooh from his most recent role as ScentreGroup’s group business director and brings with him more than 10 years of experience in Australian media. Previously, he held positions […]

Kat & Co Transforms Into THE WORLD OF Experiential Agency
  • Advertising

Kat & Co Transforms Into THE WORLD OF Experiential Agency

After more than twelve years of producing experiences for some of the world’s most innovative brands, including Hermes, Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co, Kat & Co has quietly metamorphosed into THE WORLD OF. THE WORLD OF is an experiential agency at the juncture of culture, technology and the human condition. […]

SMG Studio Launches Risk: Global Domination X Dune Part Two
  • Campaigns

SMG Studio Launches Risk: Global Domination X Dune Part Two

Through a licensing agreement with Legendary Entertainment, SMG Studio inked the rights to adapt Dune: Part Two into a game based on Risk: Global Domination, Hasbro’s interactive board game. Inspired by Denis Villeneuve’s cinematic masterpiece, Dune: Part Two, this new digital adaptation, RISK: Global Domination X Dune: Part Two, is poised to captivate players from […]

QMS: Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year & Mardi Gras Were Boon For OOH Market
  • Marketing

QMS: Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year & Mardi Gras Were Boon For OOH Market

Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival have had a dramatic impact on the number of people moving in and around Sydney over the past month, drawing big crowds into the heart of the city and its surrounding suburbs. New data from digital outdoor company QMS reveals a […]