Follow the Money // Democracy & Accountability
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.
May 2025
“Don’t waste it”: Labor’s historic policy opportunity
With the influence of the right-wing media waning, the Labor Government can use its massive majority to pursue big reforms.
A chance to be brave: understanding Australia’s election result
With the influence of its historical opponents waning, is anything standing in the way of the Labor Government passing ambitious reforms?
April 2025
Could the polls be wrong?
The polls are pointing to a likely Labor victory on Saturday, but could Dutton’s suburban strategy still bear fruit?
The cruel housing hoax
Amy Remeikis and Bill Browne discuss the federal election campaign so far, the performance of the media, and how preferential voting actually works.
February 2025
Hands off our elections
Australia needs an electoral system that’s genuinely fair, not a two-tiered system that favours the major parties.
January 2025
“That’s cooked”: welcome to 2025
Richard Denniss joins the show to discuss Trump’s inauguration and the upcoming federal election.
Bad cop with Lech Blaine | Summer Book Club
Award-winning writer Lech Blaine traces the making of Peter Dutton – from Queensland detective to leader of the Opposition.
December 2024
Minority report with George Megalogenis | Summer Book Club
Australia’s status quo political culture is under pressure – so what does this mean for the upcoming federal election?
What’s the point of Australia?
Amy Remeikis joins us to reflect on Anthony Albanese’s turbulent year as Prime Minister and preview the federal election campaign.
November 2024
The major party stitch-up with Helen Haines
Independent MP Helen Haines joins us to talk about how a deal between the Government and the Opposition could swing Australia’s electoral laws in their favour.
October 2024
We can, in fact, have nice things
He lost the Queensland election, but former Premier Steven Miles may have saved the furniture by putting forward popular, progressive policies that voters responded to.
Secrecy is not security
Excessive secrecy in government decision-making makes Australia less safe, not more.
The way we disagree
Press gallery veteran Paul Bongiorno joins us to discuss how conflict in the Middle East is reverberating through Australia and reconciliation one year after the Voice referendum.
Super-powered nukes: Aussie funds and weapons of mass destruction
Australian superannuation funds have been investing in nuclear weapons, according to new research.
September 2024
Jumping at shadows with Mark Kenny
Mark Kenny joins us to discuss the government’s census own goal and Australia’s flagging economy.
August 2024
Can quality journalism survive in Australia?
On this episode, we discuss regulating the digital giants, the challenge of artificial intelligence and restoring trust in the media.
New divides with Paul Bongiorno
We discuss declining social cohesion, the Prime Minister’s visit to the Northern Territory and the cabinet reshuffle with veteran journalist Paul Bongiorno.
July 2024
Why no seat is ‘safe’ anymore
The rise of independents and minor parties means that Labor and the Coalition can no longer take any race for granted.
Democracy (handle with care)
Careless political finance reforms could shift the balance in Australian democracy in favour of special interests.
April 2024
Making freedom of information “sexy” with Rex Patrick
Freedom of Information laws have helped the public uncover information governments would prefer to keep secret, but the system is failing.
Minority retort
The major parties claim that minority and coalition governments are chaotic and unworkable, but are they actually more effective?
March 2024
The end of capitalism with Yanis Varoufakis
Capitalism is dying, but not in the way you might think.
Robodebt, repeated? How government is failing the nation on climate
The ‘robodebt’ debacle was a shameful episode for the federal government, but was it an anomaly? Our guest today says the same behaviours that enabled robodebt have been playing out for decades in our climate policymaking and questions whether the government has appetite to implement its proposed integrity reforms. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: Polly Hemming, Director,
February 2024
The Push to Stop Pork Barrelling
Independent MP Helen Haines has introduced a bill to Parliament designed to prevent pork-barreling, where taxpayer money is allocated according to where it is needed to win votes, not where the public needs it most. This was recorded on Tuesday 27th February 2024 and things may have changed since recording. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: Bill Browne,
Tasmanian State Election Announced
Tasmania is heading to an election – 14 months early. Tasmania is retuning the size of its lower house from 25 seats to 35 seats at this election and multiple polls have predicted the result will be a minority government, so this is shaping up be a particularly interesting contest. This was recorded on Tuesday
January 2024
Brace yourselves… US Election 2024
With the Iowa Republican caucus over, the starting gun on the 2024 US Election has fired, with the promise of a dramatic election year, and democracy itself on the ballot. This was recorded on Tuesday 23rd January 2024 and things may have changed since recording. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: Dr Emma Shortis, Senior Researcher, International &
Truth on Trial: War Crimes and Whistleblowers | Summer Series
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars and live events in 2023. The first person will face trial in relation to Australian war crimes in Afghanistan is David McBride, the whistleblower on trial, not an alleged war criminal. On the eve of David McBride’s trial, a distinguished panel
December 2023
Politics in the Pub: End of Year Wrap | Summer Series
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars and live events in 2023. This year has been a doozy in Australian politics, and we need to talk about it. We invited a panel of distinguished press gallery journalists along to our Politics in the Pub live event, to give
October 2023
The Whistleblower Project | Politics in the Pub
By exposing human rights abuses, government wrongdoing and corporate misconduct, whistleblowers like David McBride and Richard Boyle make Australia a better place. Yet too often in Australia, whistleblowers are prosecuted rather than supported. This was recorded on Tuesday 24th October 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guests: Kieran
The Lies Have It
Following the Voice Referendum, new Australia Institute research shows that almost nine in ten (87%) Australians want Parliament to pass truth in political advertising laws before the next federal election. This was recorded on Tuesday 17th October 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Bill Browne, Director, Democracy &
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