The mining industry had a pre-election sook last week about government policy, but its claims about being the ‘backbone’ of the economy are more spin than substance.

The Reserve Bank is home to the experts on monetary policy – but what happens when they get it wrong?

Mark Kenny joins us to discuss the government’s census own goal and Australia’s flagging economy.

On this episode, we discuss regulating the digital giants, the challenge of artificial intelligence and restoring trust in the media.

Australia’s flawed tax system means that there’s never been a better time to be ultra-wealthy in Australia, despite some people struggling to put food on the table.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz joins us to discuss how to create a fairer, freer society and the “fertile field” neoliberalism has created for demagogues.

We discuss declining social cohesion, the Prime Minister’s visit to the Northern Territory and the cabinet reshuffle with veteran journalist Paul Bongiorno.

Super tax concessions make inequality worse and are at risk of becoming more expensive than the aged pension.

The rise of independents and minor parties means that Labor and the Coalition can no longer take any race for granted.

Pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai faces life in prison in Hong Kong, but his son Sebastien and renowned human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson are leading the fight to set him free.

Careless political finance reforms could shift the balance in Australian democracy in favour of special interests.

The Coalition’s nuclear ‘plan’ is a cynical, Trump-like distraction – so why does the media (and this podcast) fall for the trap?

Gas is a finite resource – so why is Australia essentially giving it away?

With just five months until the presidential election, American democracy is under serious threat.

Australia is in the midst of a housing crisis, fuelled by poor government policy.

It’s been 12 years since Julian Assange has been free – but is the fight to keep him from a life in an American prison finally coming to an end? United States President Joe Biden told reporters he’s considering Australia’s request to drop charges against Assange for publishing thousands of sensitive military and government documents,

A series of recent high-profile incidents has thrust the national crisis of domestic violence into the spotlight. Clearly the current approach to violence against women isn’t working, so what can be done? 1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, chat online or video

Budget 2024 had a little bit for a lot of people, but in trying to please everyone, has the government disappointed everyone instead?

Millions of Australians are struggling to make ends meet, yet when it comes to the federal budget, too often we hear that governments ‘can’t afford’ additional spending.

It’s going to be difficult to tackle bogus environmental claims from the private sector until the government itself stops greenwashing, argues Polly Hemming on this episode of Follow the Money.

As the government shelves important reform to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, the Knitting Nannas are getting out into their communities and demanding an end to fossil fuel projects.

Freedom of Information laws have helped the public uncover information governments would prefer to keep secret, but the system is failing.

Rather than delivering on their election promise to create a Great Koala National Park, the New South Wales Government is sitting on its hands until it can earn carbon credits from forests.

The major parties claim that minority and coalition governments are chaotic and unworkable, but are they actually more effective?

After scarcely mentioning it for nearly a decade while in government, the Coalition are now hot to trot on nuclear power – but why?

Capitalism is dying, but not in the way you might think.

The Albanese government came to power with big expectations around climate action, but are the government’s actions falling short of their rhetoric?

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,

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,

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