Premier urged to talk like us

AdelaideNow... Premier urged to talk like us: "``I haven't managed to listen to (one of his speeches) in its entirety . . . but his manner of speaking isn't very endearing to people.''"

I am speechless! This is the one criticising??? Hm. Obviously has a bit to learn. Yes, Mike Rann could do with a bit of intonation and practice in cadence, but when you are at the top you have to sound like you are at the top and your speeches have to sound confident and informed. You cannot just speak as you please in that arena. In Australia we are now trying to forge pathways onto the international stage and that means we need dignity, aplomb and a capacity to communicate powerfully and effectively. Other impressive world leaders are far more adept at holding centre stage in an educated way and they have a sense of presence. A speech maker will not alter the delivery style but I agree it's a good time to look at overall purpose of why we want our politicians to speak and when. Flexibility and high level competence are the keys.