July 2022
Joseph E. Stiglitz: The Role of Government in the Modern Economy [Webinar]
Join Nobel Laureate, former World Bank Chief Economist, and best-selling author Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz, in conversation with Australia Institute chief economist Dr Richard Denniss, about the need to expand the role of governments, unions, and civil society. Professor Stiglitz is visiting Australia as a guest of the Australia Institute. This was recorded on 11th
26 Years Later
The Parliaments of the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory have been banned from legislating voluntary assisted dying laws, but the new government and members of the new Parliament are seeking to restore Territory Rights as a matter of priority. This was recorded on Tuesday 5th July 2022 and things may have changed since
June 2022
Draconian Anti-protest Laws
The Tasmanian Government’s proposed law for a police crackdown on peaceful protest has been criticised as anti-democratic and a threat to civil society. The Bill creates disproportionate penalties for people who peacefully protest against business activities, equivalent to aggravated assault, possessing an implement with intent to commit a crime, or loitering near children. This was
The Integrity Election [webinar]
This year was the Integrity Election. Prior to the election, we were joined by Independent MPs Helen Haines and Zali Steggall for a discussion about the potential for the 2022 federal election to grow the crossbench or result in another minority parliament, and what further reforms could be on the horizon. This was recorded on
Introducing ‘Civility’
This week’s Burning Platforms will introduce ‘Civility’ – a new collaborative platform designed to create better public engagement. Recorded live 10th June 2022. With our regular panelists: Peter Lewis, Director of The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology Lizzie O’Shea, Chair of Digital Rights Watch and new panelist: David Swan, Technology Editor at The Australian Special guest:
What Comes Next in the Senate? [webinar]
The big story of this election is the collapse of the Coalition vote, as voters around the country backed parties and candidates with strong climate and integrity policies. What happened at the election and what comes next in the Senate? Join the ACT Independent Senate candidate David Pocock, who looks set to secure the second
May 2022
What just happened? Unpacking the transformative 2022 federal election
The 2022 federal election was transformative. The Coalition’s vote collapsed across the country. There is a new Labor government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, that will likely gain a majority in its own right, but that will govern with a hugely expanded crossbench. One of the biggest stories of the night was the shift
The explosion of political appointments to the AAT
New research from the Australia Institute shows that the number of political appointments to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal has skyrocketed. In this episode Ebony unpacks the largest and most comprehensive domestic study of the practice of cronyism in relation to appointments to a government agency ever conducted, with Ben Oquist and Bill Browne. This was
April 2022
Deus Ex Machina
Humans embrace technology with a child-like optimism, but what are the threats Artificial Intelligence poses our society if its impacts are not thought through? Burning Platforms dives deep into the amorality of AI with a special discussion with Professor Toby Walsh, author of the new book ‘Machines Behaving Badly’. Recorded live 29th April 2022. Regular
Aged Care: A System of Neglect
It’s not that long since the Royal Commission into aged care quality and safety handed down its findings Describing Australia’s aged care system as a shocking tale of neglect that needs a complete overhaul and not mere patching up. This is the third episode of a special series we are doing with our chief economist
Are we addicted to tech?
On this week’s burning Platforms we dive deep into digital addiction: are we being played? And what can we do to get ourselves off the bad stuff? Recorded live 14th April 2022 Regular panelists: Peter Lewis, Director of The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology Lizzie O’Shea, Chair of Digital Rights Watch Dan Stinton, Managing
Democracy Agenda for the 47th Parliament
With trust in politics falling to crisis levels and a declining faith in democracy itself, there is an urgent need for reforms. The Australia Institute has prepared an agenda for the next parliament, whoever wins the election, with over 40 proposals for reform. This was recorded live on 12 April 2022 and things may have
Unpacking the 2022 Federal Budget
This week on Follow the Money we’re unpacking the 2022 Federal Budget. Who are the winners and losers, and what does it all mean with an election looming? Recorded live on 31st March 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett
Pandemic tech
After turning to new technology in a public health crisis we now face critical questions in what a new surveillance normal looks like. Special guest Dhakshayini Sooriyakumaran from Reset joins the panel to ask whether we are ready to learn the lessons of 9/11 before a new tech paradigm takes hold. Recorded live 1st April 2022.
March 2022
The Rise of the Splinternet
Our panel and former president of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) Paul Twomey will outline how competing models of state control over online communications are challenging the very essence of the internet. Recorded live 18th March 2022. Regular panelists: Peter Lewis, Director of The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology Lizzie O’Shea,
The People’s Choice
In the last Burning Platforms before the Australian Federal Election we run the rule over the policies being offered up by the major parties. Is it just Coke vs. Pepsi? Or are there bigger ideas at play? Recorded live 13th March 2022. Regular panelists: Peter Lewis, Director of The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology
True Lies: Disinformation in an election year
As the Federal Election approaches amid heightened geo-political tensions, Burning Platforms looks at a ground-breaking attempt to understand how political actors game the social media algorithms to deliver targeted disinformation. Recorded live March 4th 2022. Regular panellists: Peter Lewis, Director of The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology Lizzie O’Shea, Chair of Digital Rights Watch
February 2022
Facebook News Takedown Anniversary and the News Media Bargaining Code
We mark 12 months from the Facebook news takedown and review the progress of the News Media Bargaining Code. Has the code achieved its objectives? Who’s missed out? And should it be a global model for managing the relationship between journalism and the platforms. Recorded live on 18th February 2022. Regular panellists: Peter Lewis, Director
Inquiry into Social Media and Online Safety
While Australians spent the summer searching for RATs, a hastily convened federal government inquiry was holding public hearings about online safety, as the Morrison Government amps up its war with the Big Tech companies. Burning Platforms is back for 2022 to dissect the inquiry with deputy chair Tim Watts MP. Recorded live 4th February 2022.
January 2022
Summer series – Raising the Age: Getting children out of prison
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. Everyone knows that children do best when they are supported, nurtured and loved. But across Australia, children as young as 10 can be arrested by police, charged with an offence, hauled before a court and locked away in a
Summer Series – Australia’s growing wages crisis with Sally McManus [webinar]
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. A fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work was an essential element of the promise of Australia. The last 30 years have seen a dramatic shift of the share of Australia’s prosperity going to profit and away from
Summer Series – Keeping the Bastards Honest with Senator Rex Patrick [webinar series]
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. This episode you’ll hear from Independent Senator Rex Patrick Rex about the huge gaps in Australia’s system of integrity and accountability mechanisms at the federal level. This in-depth discussion covers everything from unnecessary government secrecy, Freedom of Information laws
December 2021
The Public Square Project book launch
Held at The Australia Institute’s Politics in the Pub event, we launch the Centre for Responsible Technology’s new book ‘The Public Square Project’. Western democracy has always been anchored by the idea of a public space where people gather to share ideas, mediate difference and make sense of the world. When Facebook blocked Australian users
The biggest attack on the Australian charity sector you have never heard of
On the eve of an election, without consultation and without scrutiny, the Morrison government, with the support of the Opposition, rushed retrospective amendments into the Parliament that will squash charities’ right to advocate, effectively stomping on our democracy. The Australia Institute’s Ben Oquist unpacks what happened and what the impacts will be for the Australian
Whatever happened to the free web?
The internet promised new ways to challenge power and privilege, so how has it become a tool to promote division and entrench despots? Join us as we dive deep with special guest Elaine Pearson from Human Rights Watch into the ways tech platforms have become wilful partners in oppression around the globe. Regular panellists: Peter
Skewed: How grants with ministerial discretion are biased towards Coalition seats
Grants with ministerial discretion skew towards Coalition seats
November 2021
The Role of the Senate in our Democracy [webinar series]
The Australian Senate: a unique and powerful legislative body that few people know about and fewer understand.
What’s the go with DuckDuckGo?
The dominance of Google’s data-hungry search engine is under the spotlight in Australia, with live inquiries on its role in the Ad-tech industry and anti-competitive deals which embed the search engine in smart devices. But DuckDuckGo has proven that you can build a search engine that’s not based on user surveillance. In this week’s Burning
Can technology really save the planet?
As the world’s leaders debate the future of the planet, technology is being put forward as the solution to the earth’s climate woes. But will smart energy networks, AI and Bitcoin really save us? As part of the annual NetThing internet governance conference, this week’s Burning Platforms dives deep into the environmental impacts of technology. Regular panellists: Peter
October 2021
Platforms vs. Nation-States
Platforms are acting like nation-states and governments are trying to become platforms, but are they both getting it wrong? The idea of the ’platform’ has come to dominate our notion of the internet – that there are corporate networks that we stand on to support us in accessing cyberspace. Governments are employing the same construct
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