Australia Matters

The Australian government has been trying to placate Trump in order to secure the AUKUS submarine deal – and now we are seeing the results.

On this episode of Follow the Money and After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Ebony Bennett discuss the illegal US-Israel war in Iran, the implications of the conflict for the Middle East, and why Australian personnel were on board an American nuclear-powered submarine when it sank an Iranian warship.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 10 March.

What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.

You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.

Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett

Show notes:

Albanese’s policy on Iran makes us complicit in the collapse of international rules by Emma Shortis, Guardian Australia (March 2026)

Australia’s shameless support for the US attack on Iran makes us gullible, duplicitous, or both by Allan Behm, Guardian Australia (March 2026)

The US and Israel attack Iran, foment chaos, After America, the Australia Institute (February 2026)

After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press

Iran strikes are Donald Trump’s ninth foreign military action in 14 months by Simon Elvery, ABC (March 2026)

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the MAGAverse, it’s white men who are born to rule – at home and abroad.

On this episode of After America, Elizabeth Pancotti from Washington DC-based think tank Groundwork Collaborative joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the State of the Union, Trump’s vile attack on Somali-Americans, and how tariffs are driving up prices in a deeply unequal American economy.

This discussion was recorded on Friday 27 February.

After America: Australia and the new world order is available now via Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘PODVP’ at checkout to get free shipping.

Guest: Elizabeth Pancotti, Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy, Groundwork Collaborative // @ENPancotti

Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Show notes:

Groundwork Collaborative

The US and Israel attack Iran, foment chaos, After America, the Australia Institute (February 2026)

Albanese’s policy on Iran makes us complicit in the collapse of international rules by Emma Shortis, Guardian Australia (March 2026)

Australia’s shameless support for the US attack on Iran makes us gullible, duplicitous, or both by Allan Behm, Guardian Australia (March 2026)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The joint US-Israel war on Iran could have serious, lasting impacts on the global economy.

On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Skye discuss the economic impact of the illegal US-Israel war on Iran, the latest Australian GDP data, and why the Reserve Bank seems to want more Australians to be unemployed.

This discussion was recorded on Thursday 5 March 2026.

What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo, is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.

You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.

Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

Host: Skye Predavec, Researcher, the Australia Institute // @skyelark

Show notes:

Australia’s GDP growth is partly due to government spending. So why isn’t the Coalition complaining? by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (March 2026)

The US and Israel attack Iran, foment chaos, After America, the Australia Institute (March 2026)

ACTU plan would fix gas policy mess and raise $12.5b for Australians, the Australia Institute (August 2025)

Tax: Beer drinkers vs gas companies by Rod Campbell, the Australia Institute (February 2026)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The far-right is benefitting from a failing status quo – but it doesn’t have to be this way.

On this episode of Follow the Money, author and economist Gary Stevenson joins Ebony Bennett to discuss wealth inequality, the global issue of housing unaffordability, why Australia should tax gas properly, and how many far-right parties have become the Steven Bradburys of global politics.

This episode was recorded on Thursday 26 February.

What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.

You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.

Guest: Gary Stevenson, economist and author of The Trading Game // @garyseconomics

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett

Show notes:

Tax: Beer drinkers vs gas companies by Rod Campbell, the Australia Institute (February 2026)

Killing the Australian Dream: The failure of the capital gains tax discount by Matt Grudnoff and Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (February 2026)

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ‘president of peace’ has started another war with Iran, with no apparent regard for the consequences.

On this episode of After America, Allan Behm and Dr Emma Shortis discuss the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and the assassination of its leader, Trump and Netanyahu’s cynical messages for the Iranian people, what this war means for nuclear proliferation, and the Australian government’s “deeply disappointing” response.

This discussion was recorded on Monday 2 March 2026.

The latest Vantage Point essay, What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo, is available now for $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.

Guest: Allan Behm, Advisor, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute

Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Show notes:

The Mar-a-Lago model: how Trump is trying to dominate global governance, After America, the Australia Institute (February 2026)

Shorter America This Week: The State of the Union is... bad; AI is also bad; But hard times ain't gonna rule my mind by Emma Shortis, The Point (February 2026)

How to foster global lawlessness: Destroy the UN and its agencies by Allan Behm, The Point (January 2026)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is a low taxing nation, but Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson still seems to want the highest earners to pay less.

On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Skye discuss Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson’s call for tax cuts, why tariffs won’t be replacing income tax despite Donald Trump’s claims, Australia’s bizarre subsidies for fossil fuels, and why Greg reckons he wouldn’t take a tasty pay rise to go to the dark side.

This discussion was recorded on Thursday 26 February 2026.

What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo, is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.

You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.

Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

Host: Skye Predavec, Researcher, the Australia Institute // @skyelark

Show notes:

Finally fixing capital gains tax is good – but linking it to another tax cut for Australia’s rich is bollocks by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (February 2026)

Australia’s most costly anti-climate policy hits taxpayers for $30m a day as calls mount to wind back fuel tax credits by Adam Morton, Guardian Australia (February 2026)

ACCC alleges Coles mimicked Woolworths in ‘disguising’ big price hikes by Max Mason and Carrie LaFrenz, Australian Financial Review (February 2026)

Corporate profits increase inflation, the Australia Institute (December 2024)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shedding voters on the left and the right, is the Liberal Party heading for “oblivion”?

On this episode of Follow the Money, journalist and author Niki Savva and Australia Institute co-Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Denniss join Amy Remeikis to discuss how the Liberal Party ended up with their worst federal election result in modern history in 2025, why there’s no such thing as a safe seat in Australian politics anymore, and Nikki’s latest book, Earthquake: the election that shook Australia.

This episode was recorded live at the Australia Institute’s Politics in the Pub in Canberra on Wednesday 18 February 2026.

What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.

You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.

Guest: Niki Savva, journalist, author and former political advisor

Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss

Host: Amy Remeikis, Chief Political Analyst, the Australia Institute // @amyremeikis

Show notes:

There is no such thing as a safe seat | Fact sheet, the Australia Institute (October 2024)

Polling – Dutton’s gas plans, the Australia Institute (April 2025)

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ‘president of peace’ is at it again: threatening Iran again and boasting that his ‘board of peace’ will look over the United Nations.

On this episode of After America, Allan Behm joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the potential consequences if the United States again strikes Iran, the first meeting of Trump’s grotesque ‘board of peace’, and the striking similarities between a(nother) shamefully racist week in Australian politics and Trump administration rhetoric and policies.

This discussion was recorded on Friday 20 February 2026.

The latest Vantage Point essay, What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo, is available now for $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.

Guest: Allan Behm, Advisor, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute

Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Show notes:

Shorter America this week: Will he or won't he on Iran; The Trump doctrine?; On climate, he absolutely will; The only thing more powerful than hate is love by Emma Shortis, The Point (February 2026)

The Wrap: Trump's America is a warning, and Australia keeps treating it like a guide, by Emma Shortis, The Point (February 2026)

How to foster global lawlessness: Destroy the UN and its agencies by Allan Behm, The Point (January 2026)

Talk us through AUKUS by Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (February 2023)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wages aren’t driving higher inflation, so why do workers always seem to cop the blame?

On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Angus discuss why Coles is in court over its pricing, whether it’s time to panic with government debt set to hit $1 trillion, and the role of corporate profits in driving inflation.

This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 18 February 2026.

What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo, is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.

You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.

Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, the Australia Institute // @angusrb

Show notes:

As real wage growth falls again, Australian workers must feel the economy is rigged against them by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (February 2026)

Joseph Stiglitz on super profits, capital gains and why corporate tax is good for democracy, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (February 2026)

Corporate profits increase inflation, the Australia Institute (December 2024)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inequality creates insecurity and, as the United States is demonstrating right now, that insecurity can have devasting consequences for democracy.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz joins Ebony Bennett and Dr Richard Denniss to discuss why Australia should get a better return for its natural resources, the power of corporations to mark up prices and push down wages, and why democracies should collect more corporate tax.

This episode was recorded live on Wednesday 11 February 2026.

What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.

You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.

Guest: Joseph E Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate economist and Professor, Columbia University // @josephestiglitz

Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett

Show notes:

The Price of Inequality: How Today's Divided Society Endangers Our Future by Joseph E Stiglitz (June 2013)

Australia’s great gas giveaway: how Australia gives gas to multinational corporations for free by Mark Ogge, Rod Campbell and Piers Verstegan, the Australia Institute (May 2024)

The capital gains discount and negative gearing benefit the rich and destroy housing affordability by Jack Thrower, the Australia Institute (February 2025)

Trump’s Big Bill makes America more dangerous while enriching a few, After America, the Australia Institute (July 2025)

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support Australia Matters: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.