Podcasts
June 2020
Safeguarding Democracy with Helen Haines
There can be no trust in government without accountability, yet its been two years since the Coalition government promised to implement a Commonwealth Integrity Commission and there’s still no draft legislation in sight. Join Independent Member for Indi Helen Haines MP, and former Supreme Court Justices the Hon. David Harper AM QC and The Hon.
The pink collar recession
The Morrison government this week announced that from mid-July childcare would no longer be free and that childcare workers would be stripped of access to JobKeeper. Overall, during the pandemic women have seen faster job losses than men, while men are benefiting the most from government stimulus measures. To unpack this pink collar recession, Follow
Protecting workers as the Economy Re-Opens with Sally McManus
The pandemic exposed a lot of the problems with our labour market, including the risks of the rise of precarious and insecure work. Today we’re bringing you another guest from our ‘Economics of a Pandemic’ webinar series: Sally McManus, Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions in conversation with Jim Stanford, economist and director
Why a public sector wage freeze would cost jobs
The proposed NSW public sector wage freeze was supposed to ease pressure on the budget, but Australia Institute research shows it would cost jobs and harm regional economies.NOTE: This episode was recorded just hours before the NSW Upper House voted down the pay freeze and the NSW Government will now take the matter to the
May 2020
Black holes and Keynesians
The government has been talking as if it understood Keynesian economics, but its reaction to the $60 billion JobKeeper black hole shows they clearly do not think or act like Keynesians. Richard Denniss unpacks the spectacular failure of policy and accountability, as well as explaining what Keynesians economics actually means.Visit tai.org.au for our latest pandemic
The role of climate action in rebuilding after the pandemic with Zali Steggall
In this episode we talk to Zali Steggall, the independent member for Warringah, about the role of climate action in rebuilding after the pandemic, with Richie Merzian the director of the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program. From the Australia Institute’s ‘Economics of a Pandemic’ webinar series.Visit tai.org.au for all our latest research and analysisHost:
The Australian Government response to the pandemic with Greg Hunt
Health Minister Greg Hunt in conversation with our chief economist Richard Denniss, as part of the Australia Institute’s Economics of a Pandemic webinar series. This was recorded live on Tuesday 19th May 2020 and things may have changed since recording.Note: Due to some technical difficulties, the Minister joined the webinar a few minutes late, so
The other global crisis: climate change
Energy Minister Angus Taylor is talking about a ‘gas-led recovery’ which would not only make electricity prices higher, but would obviously make climate change worse, so in this episode we talk to director of the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program, Richie Merzian, about the other global crisis we’re facing: climate change.Visit tai.org.au for all
The International Pandemic Response with Helen Clark
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
Why ‘snap back’ is a fantasy
How realistic is it to expect the economy to ‘snap back’ after restrictions are lifted? Can there be a business-led recovery? In this episode we talk to senior economist Matt Grudnoff about why snap back is nice fantasy, but won’t work in reality.Visit tai.org.au for all our latest research and analysis.Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director
A renewably powered manufacturing sector with Ross Garnaut
Today’s episode is from one of our ‘Economics of a pandemic’ webinar series, featuring Professor Ross Garnaut, renowned economist and author of Superpower: Australia’s Low-Carbon Opportunity.Professor Garnaut was in conversation with economist and director of the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work, Jim Stanford, and Dan Nahum – economist at the Centre for Future Work
The view from the Gallery – Politics in the (virtual) Pub
Today we’re changing the pace a little, with our virtual Politics in the Pub featuring Guardian Australia’s political reporter Amy Remeikis and hosted by The Australia Institute Tasmania’s director Leanne Minshull, live from her pub the Fern Tree Tavern in Hobart.News.com.au’s political editor Samantha Maiden was also supposed to join the conversation but unfortunately couldn’t
The public health response with Professor Peter Doherty
In this episode we’re privileged to bring you some special guests from our ‘Economics of a Pandemic webinar series: immunologist and Nobel Prize Laureate Professor Peter Doherty and our chief economist Richard Denniss talking about the public health response to Covid-19.Professor Peter Doherty was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with Rolf
Working From Home: tracky dacks and keystroke surveillance
Working from home has great potential to cushion the economic blow of the pandemic: allowing many to keep working and earning an income. But there are also many challenges and risks associated with this major shift in work patterns. So to unpack the implications of everything from Orwellian surveillance programs to the joys of working
April 2020
Inequality in a Pandemic with Professor Joseph Stiglitz Nobel Laureate economist
To discuss Inequality in a Pandemic, The Australia Institute is privileged to bring you some very special guests from our ‘Economics of a Pandemic webinar series: Nobel Prize laureate economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz, ALP National President Wayne Swan and our chief economist Dr Richard Denniss.Part of the Australia Institute’s ‘Economics of a Pandemic’ webinar series.
After the Crisis with Jim Chalmers
It’s not too early to start thinking about how we rebuild the economy after the crisis. Hear Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers discuss why ‘snapback’ just won’t cut it, as part of the Australia Institute’s ‘Economics of a Pandemic’ webinar series. Recorded live on Wednesday 29 April 2020.Jim Chalmers’ Guardian article is here.Language warning – an
What does a good economic recovery package look like?
The Prime Minister has said the economic recovery won’t be ‘business as usual’ but so far the corporate sector’s wish list is indistinguishable from ‘business as usual’. But how can we judge whether or not a proposal like company tax cuts stacks up? How do we know if it will have a better or worse
Covid-19: Media in crisis
The Australian media industry, particularly journalism, was already going through a major disruption before the pandemic hit. At least 51 news media outlets and newsrooms have closed since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis in Australia, according the The Guardian.This episode features a discussion about the crisis facing the media between Kim Williams, Chair of
Covid-19 and rethinking national security
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
The role of artists and the arts in rescuing the economy
The Australian arts industry was one of the earliest economic casualties of Covid-19 as museums, theatres, galleries, festivals and music venues shut down to avoid a public health crisis leading to massive job losses –even as more than ever we rely on music, TV and books to help us cope with isolation.In this episode we’re
What is your life really worth?
It’s early days, but it looks like the measures Australia has taken to stop the spread of Covid-19 appear to be working. But not everyone sees it that way. Many commentators and economists think that the restrictions we’ve put in place go ‘too far’. So we asked chief economist at the Australia Institute, Richard Denniss,
No trust without scrutiny – the case for an Epidemic Response Committee
In the middle of this unprecedented health and economic crisis, it is critical we do not let a crisis in our democracy emerge as well. Like Australia, New Zealand has shut down its Parliament due to COVID-19.However, NZ has found a non-partisan alternative to maintain accountability while Parliament is not sitting.Australia Institute executive director Ben
March 2020
Unpacking the Jobkeeper wage subsidy scheme
The Morrison government performed an enormous and welcome backflip, announcing a $130 billion Jobseeker package to support workers, through their employer, with a $1500/fortnight wage subsidy. Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Institute unpacks the details with us.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at The Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettContributors: Richard Denniss, chief economist at the
What the hell is happening to the economy?
What does a global pandemic do to the economy? Richard Denniss explains why the government is shutting down whole sections of the economy and unpacks the government’s economic survival package.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at The Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettContributors: Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIThis episode was produced by Jennifer
December 2019
The People vs Tech
There is a growing awareness globally that unregulated technological development is not delivering on its promise to transform the world for the better. The Australia Institute launched the Centre for Responsible Technology, a new non-partisan centre designed to give people greater influence over the way technology is rapidly changing our world, on Wednesday 20 November 2019.
November 2019
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