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The 2022 federal election saw a historic loss for the Coalition and a historic shift towards independent candidates like Allegra Spender in Sydney, Zoe Daniel in Melbourne and Kate Chaney in Perth. 

Elected on promises to fight climate change, make progress on gender issues and advocate for more integrity in politics, the Teals flipped some of the wealthiest and safest Liberal seats. 

But now, as the cost of living becomes the most pressing issue for voters, the Teals’ views on social inequality are being put to the test. 

Today, contributing writer for The Monthly, Rachel Withers on the seven Teal independents and whether they’re Australia’s best hope for addressing inequality.

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Guest: Contributing writer for The Monthly, Rachel Withers.

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Today on the show, writer and filmmaker John Safran, with his piece from the latest edition of The Monthly. 

Father Bob Maguire was an icon in his own right, but for many, they knew him through his years of conversation with John Safran on TV and their Sunday Night radio show.

Father Bob passed away earlier this year and received a state funeral in Melbourne and today we feature John’s writing about his friend.

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Guest: Writer and filmaker, John Safran

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There is one story that had radiated through the witness list at the robo-debt royal commission, which profoundly altered the shape of that inquiry: the story of Rhys Cauzzo.

There were many cases like his, but Rhys Cauzzo’s experience under robo-debt sparked a fight for justice that still continues.

Rhys Cauzzo killed himself in January 2017. The public servants and ministers responsible for this illegal debt-raising scheme effectively started a PR war to smear the reputation of a dead man.

One woman, his mother, Jenny Miller, never gave up on finding the truth about what happened to her son.

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Guest: Rhys Cauzzo’s mum, Jenny Miller.

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Robo-debt should never have made it into the real world, but once it did, its gatekeepers became greedy and turned the scheme on full throttle.

In late 2016, without warning, more than 100,000 people across Australia were swamped by life-altering debts stretching back years.

That became a political problem. A scheme politicians thought was a neat and tidy solution to their own ambitions quickly spiralled into a humanitarian disaster. 

But instead of fixing it, the politicians decided to spin it. Against all the evidence, they tried to convince people robo-debt was working; that the illegal practice was fair and good.

Today, we speak to one of the people whose job was to create this alternate reality: Rachelle Miller, the former media adviser to human services minister Alan Tudge.

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Guest: Former media adviser, Rachelle Miller

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How did robo-debt ever make it out of the lab?

We may never get a perfect answer to that question. But there is one person who can help piece together how this astounding period of public service fakery was uncovered.

You see, the flaws in robo-debt were not discovered by any government department or oversight body, like the ombudsman's office. They were revealed by a group of people on Twitter: lawyers, journalists and welfare recipients.

They found a pattern of systemic issues with the scheme and pursued it with dogged determination until it led to a royal commission. 

Today, we speak to one of them, senior lecturer in administrative law at La Trobe University, Darren O'Donovan, about how people outside the system built the very first working model of how public service embraced robo-debt. 

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Guest: Senior lecturer in administrative law at La Trobe University, Darren O'Donovan

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Those who imagined, designed and delivered robo-debt put their personal ambition above the wellbeing of the people they were meant to serve. But there were some on the frontline who knew from the very beginning that this government shakedown was wrong.

One, Colleen Taylor, came forward at the royal commission. While senior leaders failed to recall, or refused to say how robo-debt happened, she told the truth and helped crack one of the biggest scandals in Australian government history wide open.

Today we speak to Centrelink worker-turned-whistleblower Colleen Taylor about what really happened when robo-debt was first rolled out.

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Guest: Former Centrelink worker Colleen Taylor.

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Australia was gaslit by its own government. From ministers to public servants – they backed something that was illegal, just to shake down innocent people for money, then lied about it for years.

There will likely be criminal prosecutions, civil action and more accountability to meat out.

But Robo-debt was also born out of a cultural rot inside politics and our public service – it’s a culture that could go on to do more damage if it isn’t stopped.

So today we speak with the minister who will have to implement many of the recommendations and pursue many of the findings in this royal commission – Bill Shorten – about what this report means, and if the machinery of government can truly be fixed.

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Guest: Minister for Social Services and the NDIS, Bill Shorten.

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This week we're bringing you something special. The first episode of our new podcast: Read This.

In the first episode of the show, host Michael Williams sits down with author Helen Garner. She invites us over for cake and conversation about what she’s writing about, how she problem solves and the inspiration she gets from watching her grandson’s footy training.

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Guest: Helen Garner

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Some of the biggest stories and characters in Australian politics could soon be under the scrutiny of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

It’s already had hundreds of referrals, with more to come. 

But not everyone is warmly welcoming the new corruption watchdog to federal politics.

Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on how our politicians have greeted the new NACC.

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Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.

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El Niño is coming again and Australia is vulnerable.

 The UN’s World Meteorological Organization declared this week that the extreme weather event has begun, and the impacts will be felt across our health, ecosystems and economy.

Today, climate scientist, contributor to The Saturday Paper and a lead author for the IPCC Joëlle Gergis – on what’s headed our way and what we have to do to avert crisis. 

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Guest: Contributor to The Saturday Paper and a lead author for the IPCC, Joëlle Gergis

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