Episodes

  • 34. The State of the Union

    34. The State of the Union
    Oct 29 2024
    Elana conducts a wellness check on the United States. At the time of publishing this episode the US election is a week away, and to say that it’s one of the most consequential elections the world has ever seen is something of an understatement. Rather than trying to understand US politics through the lenses of either the US or Australian media, Elana asks an average American voter living in Trump country how it’s going. Show Notes: For context on the 1968 DNC, the ABC’s If You’re Listening podcast does a brilliant deep dive into this event, in podcast and video ...
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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Bonus: Census 2026

    Bonus: Census 2026
    Sep 29 2024
    The Prime Ministerial captain’s call on the 2026 census and the multiple excuses and backlfips required to ensure that the government ended up in almost the same position as they were in prior to Anthony Albanese’s intervention. You couldn’t make this up. Show Notes: The Daily Aus podcast on the Census backlash and backflip Sign the Equality Australia Count Us In petition to ensure everyone is represented in the 2026 CensusSupport Wear It Purple Laura Tingle reveals the Census questionsAlbanese vents his frustration in CabinetRoss Gittins on why Albanese tried to pre-empt a culture warHow this blew up in Albanese’s ...
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    28 mins
  • 33. Nuclear Fantasies

    33. Nuclear Fantasies
    Aug 19 2024
    In June Peter Dutton finally unveiled the Coalition’s widely spruiked and much anticipated policy on nuclear energy for Australia. But is it a feasible solution to Australia’s energy woes, or is it just a climate change denying fantasy? Steve and Elana review the Coalition’s plans against the current state of the energy transition, and the regulatory, technical, commercial and political hurdles that Dutton needs to overcome to realise his nuclear powered vision. Show Notes National Vice President Dr Grahame Elder’s drill down into SMRs, plus Elana’s podcast of the Drill, with added commentary and context An article on the estimated ...
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • Bonus: Robodebt Officers off the Hook

    Bonus: Robodebt Officers off the Hook
    Jun 17 2024
    Elana is back with an article she wrote in response to the recent decision by the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) not to open an investigation into the referrals made to it by the Robodebt Royal Commission of six officials involved in the Robodebt scheme. This story continued to unfold after our article was published, so Elana has additional updates and commentary on this story. Show Notes:Robodebt Officers off the Hook articleThe NACC’s decision on RobodebtThe NACC regulator’s decision to investigateGeoffrey Watson interviewed by Philip Adams on the NACC’s decisionThe Dutch child care rebate scandal
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    21 mins
  • 32. Budget 2024: No Bravery

    32. Budget 2024: No Bravery
    Jun 4 2024
    Rejoice budget nerds, it’s that time of year again! An episode in which Elana is cranky about what not’s in the budget, Leonie is in search of a narrative for the budget, Steve does a better job of selling the budget than Jim Chalmers did, and all three lament the budget’s missed opportunities. Show Notes Podcasts featured in this episode:Dollars and Sense: The Budget and Why Your Wages are Lagging 14 Years Behind7AM Podcast: The Jim Chalmers InterviewThe Guardian’s Politics Live: Jim Chalmers on his Budget Balancing Act Additional coverage:Dollars and Sense: Poverty is a Policy ChoiceFollow the Money: Jess ...
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    1 hr and 57 mins
  • 31. Post Dunkley By Election Debrief

    31. Post Dunkley By Election Debrief
    Mar 28 2024
    It took a little while for Heath, Leonie and the rest of the campaign team to crawl out from under all the life admin that piled up while they were contesting the Dunkley by election, but Elana managed to sit down with Heath and Leonie and have a chat about the results and their experiences on the campaign trail.
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    1 hr and 41 mins
  • The Drill: Nuclear SMRs

    The Drill: Nuclear SMRs
    Mar 12 2024
    Are you wondering just what a small modular nuclear reactor is, and why we’re having a ‘debate’ on nuclear power? Dr Grahame Elder has you covered. He’s done the research so you don’t have to. In this first instalment of The Drill, Dr Elder does a deep dive into the questions of: what are small modular nuclear reactors, are SMRs being used successfully elsewhere, and if so, do they have a future in Australia’s energy transition and mix? Host Elana Mitchell provides context and commentary as we drill into the issue of SMRs. Show Notes The Drill with all of ...
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    36 mins
  • 30. Dunkley by election - meet our candidate!

    30. Dunkley by election - meet our candidate!
    Feb 13 2024
    The by election in the Victorian electorate of Dunkley was triggered by the very sad passing of Labor MP Peta Murphy in December of 2023. We pay our respects to Peta, and extend our condolences to her family and friends on what must be a devastating loss. Our parliament, and Dunkley, are poorer for her absence. Heath McKenzie is a long time resident of Seaford, situated in the electorate of Dunkley. He is a qualified landscape gardener, has managed a large client portfolio for a major paint manufacturer and is now a business development manager for a major producer of ...
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    56 mins