Lessons from a master communicator

I recently attended the Joan Kirner Social Justice Oration, produced by my old friends at Our Community. The speaker was Ray Martin.

For those of you of a certain age, you’ll know that Ray was one of the most recognisable journalists and presenters of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and into the 2000s. He remains a presence through documentaries and guest appearances but is perhaps best known for his time on 60 Minutes, Midday and A Current Affair.

Ray spoke about reconciliation and the broader Australian community’s relationship with its Indigenous peoples.

I knew he’d be good — why wouldn’t he be? He is supremely comfortable behind a microphone and enjoys a very high degree of goodwill from almost any audience he faces and this was certainly a supportive one, gathered at the State Library.

But I confess I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the 45-minute presentation as much as I did.

It was a masterclass in something many speakers talk about but fewer truly execute: the power of stories.

Throughout his time on stage, Ray delivered story after story — anecdotes and reflections from his childhood through to his time in the halls of power, speaking with prime ministers about Indigenous affairs. Some were heartwarming; others were heartbreaking, exposing systemic racism in both small rural communities and in our parliaments.

His stories did what only stories can do: they inspired emotions.

Stories are hard to counter. I can challenge your facts with my facts but your stories — your lived experiences and reflections — are far more difficult to dispute.

They also allow an audience to know the speaker better.

While I don’t typically lean heavily into storytelling, it’s something I’ll be incorporating more deliberately in future.