Follow the Money

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.

January 2024

Isabella Weber: The Economics and Politics of Seller’s Inflation | Summer Series

featuring Ebony Bennett and Jim Stanford

Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars and live events in 2023. What if we’re thinking about inflation wrong? Join renowned economist Isabella Weber, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for a discussion about the economics and politics of seller’s inflation. This was recorded

December 2023

Profits v Wages, what’s driving inflation? – Rerun | Summer Series

featuring Ebony Bennett and Richard Denniss

Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars and live events in 2023. This episode, we’re listening back to one of our most popular episodes from the year with our Executive Director Richard Denniss, digging into the cycle of corporate profits, inflation, and low wages. This was recorded on

Big Petrostate Energy

featuring Ebony Bennett and Polly Hemming

The United Nations annual climate conference, COP28, is wrapping up, and it’s crunch time. Is there going to be a mention of actually phasing out fossil fuels? Or will we have more of avoiding the issue? This was recorded on Tuesday 12th December 2023 and things may have changed since recording. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: Polly

‘Thylacine of the Sea’ vs. the Salmon Industry

featuring Ebony Bennett and Eloise Carr

The Maugean skate, native to Macquarie Harbour, is running out of time. It’s facing extinction, due in large part to the Tasmanian salmon industry. This was recorded on Monday 4th December 2023 and things may have changed since recording. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: Eloise Carr, Senior Fellow and Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute // @GeneveraE Host:

November 2023

Clive Palmer of…Singapore?

featuring Ebony Bennett and Stephen Long

Clive Palmer, one of Australia’s richest men, is suing Australia for $41.3bn, claiming it breached the ASEAN free trade agreement in relation to coal exploration permits. But he’s doing so…as a foreign investor? Stephen Long explains how Clive Palmer’s controversial legal strategies challenge Australia’s trade agreements and environmental laws. Stephen Long is a Senior Fellow

Introducing Dollars & Sense with Greg Jericho

featuring Greg Jericho and Ebony Bennett

Economic data can tell us a lot about what’s happening in society and the economy.  Introducing the Autralia Institute’s brand new podcast, Dollars & Sense, with Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. In Dollars & Sense, each week, Greg Jericho will

How to Investigate Research Misconduct

featuring Ebony Bennett and Kristen Scicluna

Australia is one of the few countries with a developed research sector that does not have a research integrity watchdog, instead relying on research institutions to initiate and oversee investigations into their own researchers. This was recorded on Wednesday 15th November 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest:

October 2023

The Whistleblower Project | Politics in the Pub

featuring Ebony Bennett

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

featuring Ebony Bennett and Bill Browne

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 &

Is Consultant a ‘Profession?’

featuring Ebony Bennett, Rod Campbell and Bill Browne

As the Senate Inquiry into the management and assurance of integrity by consulting services continues, Labor senator Deb O’Neill and Greens senator Barbara Pocock have been applying the pressure to consulting firms in the hotseat. This was recorded on Wednesday 4th October 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute

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

There are still climate refugees in Lismore [Politics in the Pub]

featuring Elizabeth Morison and Richard Denniss

As the Northern Hemisphere experiences extreme heatwaves and Australia prepares for a “horror summer”, and the new RBA Governor Michelle Bullock warns climate change poses a “particularly acute” challenge for the Australia economy, listen back to the launch of the 2023 Climate of the Nation Report at Politics in the Pub. This was recorded on

Who should pay the cost of Climate Change? [Climate of the Nation 2023]

featuring Elinor Johnston-Leek and Elizabeth Morison

As many Australians are facing rising cost-of-living, which is being made worse by climate change, fossil fuel companies are making record profits. So how can our Government make them pay the bill? This was recorded on Tuesday 12th September 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Liz Morison,

Dead in the Water

featuring Ebony Bennett and Kate McBride

A new deal to save the Murray-Darling basin has been brokered by Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, following another mass fish kill, and a survey finding not a single adult Murray Cod in the Lower Darling-Bakka. This was recorded on Tuesday 5th September 2023 and things may have changed since recording. 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

The Environmental Fight you probably haven’t heard of

While you might not think native duck hunting is a big issue in Australia, it actually has extensive detrimental effects on our ecosystems. And it isn’t even that popular among Australians. This was recorded on Tuesday 6th June 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guests: Rod Campbell, Research

What Transition?

featuring Ebony Bennett and Polly Hemming

The lifecycle emissions resulting from Tamboran Resources’ proposed Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) processing and export facility in the Northern Territory would be equivalent to 12 coal-fired power stations every year when operating at full capacity. Not exactly on the transition to net-zero… This was recorded on Wednesday 16th August 2023 and things may have changed

Ending the ‘Jobs for Mates’ Culture with Dr Sophie Scamps [Webinar]

featuring Ebony Bennett

Restoring trust and integrity in Australia’s democracy was a key issue in 2022 federal election. In March, independent MP Dr Sophie Scamps introduced a new bill designed to end the ‘jobs for mates’ culture in federal politics. The bill seeks to legislate a transparent and independent process for major government public appointments, setting a gold

July 2023

The Shell Game Behind Carbon Credits with Nick Feik [Webinar]

featuring Ebony Bennett and Polly Hemming

In his new essay “The Great Stock ‘n’ Coal Swindle” for The Monthly, Nick Feik takes a deep dive into Australia’s carbon offsets industry and its links to fossil fuel expansion. This was recorded on Wednesday 8th March 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guests: Nick Feik, Writer, journalist

The ‘Tassie Tiger of the Sea’ is on the brink

featuring Elinor Johnston-Leek and Eloise Carr

The Maugean Skate, nicknamed the ‘Tasmanian Tiger of the Sea,’ is on the brink of extinction, with salmon farming in the region threatening its natural habitat. So will Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek be able to fulfill her promise of no new extinct species until 2030, or will the Skate become another relic of the

Why it’s hard to beat sitting MPs in elections

featuring Ebony Bennett, Bill Browne and Elizabeth Morison

Sitting parliamentarians rarely lose elections. While incumbents have a publicly funded head-start, challengers rely on donations to fund their election campaigns, which is why political donation reform needs to ensure everyone should be able to afford a ticket to run in an election. This was recorded on Friday 23rd June 2023 and things may have

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

Nordic Talks: Breaking the ice ceiling: Gender equality in Iceland and Australia [Webinar]

featuring Ebony Bennett and Andrew Scott

Iceland’s outstanding levels of gender equality have been achieved through policies such as extensive paid parental leave, including an emphasis on fathers using paid parental leave. This emphasis on paternity leave is one important reason that Iceland is frequently ranked as the leader among all the Nordic nations – and thus the world leader –

Nordic Talks: The Role of First Nations Communities in the Clean Energy Transition [Webinar]

featuring Ebony Bennett and Rod Campbell

Australia has all the ingredients for a green industrial revolution; abundant rare minerals, plentiful wind and sun, manufacturing capabilities, while Sweden is a global leader in green industry practices and production. But how can First Nations communities participate in the clean energy transition? This talk will unpack how Sweden and Australia can better balance the

Nordic Talks: Pedalling Health – Healthy and sustainable cities in Denmark and Australia [Webinar]

featuring Ebony Bennett

In Denmark, the bicycle has been recognised as a fast, efficient, and sustainable mode of transportation for decades, and the key to more liveable cities and happy, healthy people – supported by a network of safe cycling infrastructure and a positive cycle culture as part of healthy urban design which also means fewer food deserts. In

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