Follow the Money // International & Security Affairs

The Australia Institute’s Follow the Money podcast explains Australia’s big economic issues in plain English. We bust myths, dissect politics, interpret econobabble and help you sound really smart at your next dinner party, with host Ebony Bennett.

September 2023

The Special (Economic) Relationship: Australia and the US

featuring Ebony Bennett and Joey Herlihy

The Australia-America economic relationship is one of the world’s most consequential, worth over $2 trillion, yet few understand its depth and scale. This was recorded on Thursday 3rd August 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Joey Herlihy, Research Intern, International & Security Affairs program, the Australia Institute

August 2023

An Eventful Trip to Fiji

featuring Ebony Bennett and Polly Hemming

The Labor Government has been campaigning for Australia to host COP31, the UN climate conference, in partnership with a Pacific Island nation. But Pacific Islanders have several concerns, mainly due to Australia’s track record with new fossil fuels, and lacklustre climate policy. This was recorded on Wednesday 30th August 2023 and things may have changed

June 2023

Australia’s Olympic Moment on Greenwashing

featuring Ebony Bennett and Polly Hemming

The Australian Government has proposed that Australia host the 2026 UN Climate Conference, in “partnership” with Pacific nations. But can Australia be considered a credible host for a COP31 while it continues to subsidise and approve fossil fuel expansion? This was recorded on Wednesday 14th June 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The

May 2023

Modi, the Quad, and the latest on AUKUS

featuring Ebony Bennett and Allan Behm

From Narendra Modi’s recent visit, to the cancelled Quad summit meeting, to new developments in the AUKUS nuclear submarine agreement, it’s been a busy few weeks in international relations for Australia. This was recorded on Wednesday 25th May 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Allan Behm, Director,

March 2023

January 2023

Summer Series – Regional Climate Diplomacy Forum 2022 [Webinar]

featuring Ebony Bennett and Richie Merzian

Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2022. Pacific Island nations are on the front line of climate change, and as Australia celebrates the passage of the 43% climate bill, Pacific leaders want to know that the new Australian Government’s improved rhetoric on climate is matched by

October 2022

Regional Climate Diplomacy Forum 2022 [Webinar]

featuring Ebony Bennett and Richie Merzian

Pacific Island nations are on the front line of climate change, and as Australia celebrates the passage of the 43% climate bill, Pacific leaders want to know that the new Australian Government’s improved rhetoric on climate is matched by policy integrity when it comes to new gas and coal projects and exports. Join Their Excellencies

July 2022

Follow the Money LIVE!

For this special live episode of Follow the Money, the panel will be discussing: A New Agenda for a New Parliament: Climate Action, International Affairs & Integrity – Yes Please! bringing together diverse knowledge on all fronts of climate & energy, international & security affairs, and integrity issues. This was recorded on Wednesday 13th July

May 2022

An Australian COP29

featuring Allan Behm, Ebony Bennett and Richie Merzian

Australia has never hosted a United Nations climate conference (COP) and the recent proposal from the Labor Party to bid for the 2024 COP in partnership with the Pacific could shift Australia’s reputation from climate laggard to regional leader. Hosting a COP would also have a number of economic, diplomatic and security co-benefits. This was

March 2022

January 2022

Summer Series – Feeling the Heat with Marian Wilkinson, Richard Denniss and Allan Behm [webinar]

featuring Allan Behm, Ebony Bennett and Richard Denniss

Our summer series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. This episode we’re bringing you a conversation with award-winning journalist Marian Wilkinson and the Australia Institute’s chief economist Richard Denniss and Allan Behm, International & Security Affairs program director, about the growing pressure on Australia, as global and regional powers

Summer Series – Climate Change and the Pacific with the Hon Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa Prime Minister of Samoa [webinar]

featuring Ebony Bennett, Richie Merzian and Ben Oquist

Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. This episode you’ll hear from the Prime Minister of Samoa, the Hon. Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa on climate change and the Pacific, as part of the Australia Institute’s Regional Climate Diplomacy Forum, with youth climate activist and UNICEF Pacific Ambassador

December 2021

September 2021

August 2021

July 2021

Send in the troops

featuring Allan Behm and Ebony Bennett

When the going gets tough, the Morrison government calls in the military to boost its authority and credibility. In this episode, Allan Behm discusses the securitisation of domestic policy issues and how bringing in the ADF doesn’t really solve anything. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guest: Allan Behm,

What the bloody hell is a CBAM?

featuring Ebony Bennett, Hannah Melville-Rea and Richie Merzian

The EU has announced it will introduce a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as part of its efforts to reach net zero emissions by 2050. This has big implications for the Australian economy, especially carbon intensive expor industries. This week we talk to Richie Merzian and Hannah Melville Rea about what CBAMs are, how they

February 2021

January 2021

Summer special: Friends, Allies and Enemies with Karen Middleton & Jonathan Pearlman

featuring Allan Behm and Ebony Bennett

In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, host Ebony Bennett talks to Karen Middleton, Jonathan Pearlman and Allan Behm about the tenth issue of Australian Foreign Affairs which examines the alliances, blocs and rivalries emerging across the Asia-Pacific

December 2020

The US Election result and what it means for Australia

featuring Allan Behm, Ebony Bennett and Richie Merzian

In this episode we unpack what a Biden Administration means for climate and foreign policy in Australia, with Richie Merzian and Allan Behm. The Australia Institute // @theAusinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Richie Merzian, director Climate & Energy Program // @richiemerzian Allan Behm, director International & Security Affairs program

September 2020

Effective diplomacy and getting Australia’s relationship with China back on track

featuring Allan Behm and Ebony Bennett

Australia’s relationship with China has been turbulent of late, so this week we speak to Allan Behm, head of the Australia Institute’s International and Security Affairs Program about what we really want out of our relationship with China and how we can get it back on track.Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute

August 2020

July 2020

June 2020

May 2020

The International Pandemic Response with Helen Clark

featuring Allan Behm and Ebony Bennett

Australia and New Zealand have had a lot of success in managing this pandemic, but that has not been the case internationally and we’ve seen a range of responses from international governments. This episode is from one of our ‘Economics of a pandemic’ webinar series, featuring Helen Clark, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand

April 2020

Covid-19 and rethinking national security

featuring Allan Behm and Ebony Bennett

We are facing existential threats to human security that are not amenable to solution by military forces. In this week’s episode we discuss the need to rethink national security with Allan Behm, director of the Australia Institute’s International and Security Affairs Program.Check out Allan’s Guardian article hereVisit tai.org.au for our latest pandemic economic research and

September 2017

I’m Here For An Argument – Why Bipartisanship On Security Makes Australia Less Safe

featuring Ebony Bennett

North Korean missile tests, resolving the South China Sea issues, ethnic cleansing in Myanmar – there is a lot happening in the defence and security policy space right, but are we engaged enough to tackle these problems in a smart way? Dr Andrew Carr of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the ANU has

November 2016

Nuclear Dumps

featuring Ebony Bennett, Rod Campbell and Richard Denniss

How much is a hole in the ground worth? Australia has considered building a nuclear waste dump many times over the decades. Each time, the proposal has fallen through. This time, in South Australia, proponents are making $100 billion dollar claims. Richard and Rod take a look at those claims and the economics of building