Australia Matters

Despite dire warnings from the scientific community and Australia’s Pacific neighbours, the federal government isn’t getting the message.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Tuvalu Minister for Climate Change and Environment Dr Maina Vakafua Talia and Canadian independent Senator Dr Rosa Galvez join us to discuss the need to phase out fossil fuels.

This episode was recorded live on Wednesday 16 September at the Australia Institute’s Politics in the Pub event in Canberra.

More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest edition in the Vantage Point series, is available now.

Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.

Guest: The Hon Dr Maina Vakafua Talia, Minister for Climate Change and Environment for the Government of Tuvalu

Guest: The Hon Senator Dr Rosa Galvez, Independent Senator for Québec (Bedford), Canada // @senrosagalvez

Host: Louise Morris, Head of Fossil Fuel Transition, the Australia Institute // @louisemorris

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

Show notes:

Transition Away from Fossil Fuels: A roadmap for Australia by Hamdi Jama, Rod Campbell & Louise Morris, the Australia Institute (September 2026)

Australia and Canada can learn from each other on climate if we separate action from declaration by Rosa Galvez, Guardian Australia (September 2026)

Albanese's Climate Week speech left out the numbers that matter most by Louise Morris, The Point (September 2026)

Limiting Overshoot - Navigating exceedance of 1.5°C and pathways towards return, United Nations Overshoot Programme (September 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]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new suite of legislation aims to ensure that Australia doesn’t fund, arm or invest in illegal settlements, war crimes or genocide – but the federal government has blocked an inquiry into the bills.

On this episode of After America, lawyer and advocate Rawan Arraf joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the Red Lines Package, the decision of the United Kingdom and others to sanction illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, and the future of international law.

This episode was recorded on Friday 18 September.

Join Emma and Allan Behm for the Melbourne launch of Allan’s new book, New Game New Rules: A foreign policy for dystopian times at 6pm on Tuesday 22 September.

Guest: Rawan Arraf, Executive Director & Principal Lawyer, Australian Centre for International Justice // @rawanarraf

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

Show notes:

Red Lines Package

New Game, New Rules: A foreign policy for dystopian times by Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (August 2026)

Beyond the Two-State Solution: Policy responses to the Destruction of Palestine and the Insecurity of Israel by Emma Shortis, Allan Behm & Bob Bowker, the Australia Institute (September 2026)

International law is under attack. Australia can stand up for justice, After America (August 2026)

Will Another Global Court Ruin Itself? by the Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal (September 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]. Subscribe to After America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister said he wants to promote ‘progressive patriotism’ – but his policies tell a different story. In this episode of What’s the Point?, Richard explains the dangers of centrism and what progressive politics actually looks like.

More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.

Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now.

Read more on The Point.

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

Producer: Anna Chang, Managing Editor, The Point // @annachang

Show notes:

Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP | Bernie Fraser Oration 2026 tickets

Revenue Summit 2026 tickets

Six weeks after Albanese pledged renewable-powered data centres, he’s already made an exception by Tegan George, The Point (August 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]. Subscribe to What’s the Point? with Richard Denniss on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By lifting the rate of Jobseeker, the Australian government could save lives.

On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the shocking number of Australians dying on Jobseeker, the government’s immigration policy announcements, and why inequality is a political choice. Then, a bittersweet Dollars & Sense announcement.

This discussion was recorded on Thursday 17 September 2026.

More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.

Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.

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

Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

Show notes:

Extreme inequality is not a given. It is a political choice and we can unmake it by Joseph Stiglitz, The Point (September 2026)

In such a rich country, it is shameful how many Australians on jobseeker are dying in desperate poverty by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2026)

Recycled fuss about migrants is just a painful hot-button topic looking for an issue by Amy Remeikis, The New Daily (September 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]. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soaring specialist costs, an increasingly complex system, and Australians getting sicker for longer suggest all is not well in Australian health care.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Dr Luke Slawomirski and Matt Grudnoff join Ebony Bennett to discuss the soaring cost of specialists, why pushing people towards the private health system doesn’t take pressure off public hospitals, the government’s proposed changes to private health rebates, and how to ensure Australia doesn’t backslide towards US-style health care.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 15 September.

Correction: During the discussion on Australian specialist costs, Luke mistakenly said that average costs in the Australian Capital Territory are six times higher than Tasmania. They are actually four times higher.

More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest edition in the Vantage Point series, is available now.

Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.

Guest: Luke Slawomirski, Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the Australia Institute // @lukeslawomirski

Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff

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

Show notes:

Australia has an illness system, not a health system by Luke Slawomirski, The Point (July 2026)

Millions delay or skip appointments as specialist care become too expensive for many Australians – new research, the Australia Institute (August 2026)

Why scrapping the age-based private health insurance rebate makes sense by Luke Slawomirski, The Point (September 2026)

The quarter of a trillion dollar shortfall leaving states and territories scrambling, the Australia Institute (September 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]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States controls or has access to more than 100 defence facilities on Australian soil, according to new research.

On this episode of After America, Dr Richard Tanter joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss his new research on American access to Australian defence facilities, the long-term consequences of the war on terror for the Australia-US alliance, and whether Australia is the only American ally not seriously rethinking its relationship with the United States.

This episode was recorded on Friday 11 September.

Join Emma and Allan Behm for the Melbourne launch of Allan’s new book, New Game New Rules: A foreign policy for dystopian times at 6pm on Tuesday 22 September.

Tickets to ‘The Last Best Hope of Earth: Reflections on the USA at 250’ at the Celtic Club in Melbourne on Friday 18 September are available here.

Guest: Richard Tanter, Senior Research Associate, Nautilus Institute

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

Show notes:

Australian Bases & US Involvement

The US now has access to more than half Australia’s military bases – could it drag the country unwillingly into war? by Ben Doherty, Andy Ball & Nick Evershed, Guardian Australia (September 2026)

9/11: Can the US ever recover? by Allan Behm, The Point (September 2026)

Shorter America: Anniversaries; Australia and 9/11; From the rubble by Emma Shortis, The Point (September 2026)

New Game, New Rules: A foreign policy for dystopian times by Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (August 2026)

A suitable piece of real estate: American installations in Australia by Desmond Ball, Hale & Iremonger (1980)

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]. Subscribe to After America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of What’s the Point?, Richard Denniss examines Australia’s artificial intelligence boom and the political fight over who reaps the rewards.

This episode was recorded on Friday 4 September.

More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.

Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.

Read more on The Point.

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

Producer: Anna Chang, Managing Editor, The Point // @annachang

Show notes:

Climate Integrity Summit 2026 livestream tickets

Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP | Bernie Fraser Oration 2026 tickets

Revenue Summit 2026 tickets

Six weeks after Albanese pledged renewable-powered data centres, he’s already made an exception by Tegan George, The Point (August 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]. Subscribe to What’s the Point? with Richard Denniss on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early super access proposals would ultimately make people worse off – but the government could do more to help Australians currently in need.

On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss One Nation’s superannuation proposal, ways the government could provide genuine cost-of-living support, the Reserve Bank’s twisted thinking over inflation and interest rates, and Barnaby Joyce’s run-from-Jesus moment.

This discussion was recorded on Thursday 10 September 2026.

More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.

Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.

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

Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

Show notes:

Horror warnings about Australia’s ‘collapsing’ housing market are absurd – and very much in bad faith by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2026)

The fight on super misses the point by Greg Jericho, The Point (September 2026)

Superannuation tax concessions are making inequality worse by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (July 2024)

Why a rate rise is now looking increasingly likely by Greg Jericho, The Point (September 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]. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Non-compete clauses suppress wages, reduce productivity and stifle innovation. Now, the federal government is looking to ban them for most workers.

The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, joins Ebony Bennett to discuss the pernicious impact of non-compete clauses and the federal government’s new legislation seeking to ban them for 9-in-10 workers.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 8 September.

More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest edition in the Vantage Point series, is available now.

Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.

Guest: Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury and Federal Member for Fenner // @aleighmp

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

Show notes:

Reform to non-compete clauses and other restraints – draft legislation, Department of Treasury Consultation Hub

Government seeks to ban non-compete agreements for most workers by Jack Thrower, The Point Live (September 2026)

New data shows many businesses are now using non-compete clauses – and that’s bad for workers by Jack Thrower, the Australia Institute (February 2024)

The great unbinding: non‑competes, freedom and the future of competition, Sydney Institute address by the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP (September 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]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nine nuclear weapons states are holding the rest of the world “hostage to annihilation”, but the Australian government is yet to act on a global ban.

On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis reflects on the United States’ military footprint in Australia, before former Australian Minister for International Development Melissa Parke joins the show to discuss the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

This episode was recorded Thursday 26 August.

Join Dr Emma Shortis and Allan Behm at 6pm, Tuesday 22 September for the Melbourne launch of Allan’s new book, New Game New Rules: A foreign policy for dystopian times.

Guest: Melissa Parke, Executive Director, International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons // @MelissaParke01

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

Show notes:

International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

New Game, New Rules: A foreign policy for dystopian times by Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (August 2026)

The US now has access to more than half Australia’s military bases – could it drag the country unwillingly into war? by Ben Doherty, Andy Ball & Nick Evershed, Guardian Australia (September 2026)

The U.S. Has Killed 227 Civilians in Boat Strikes During “A Year of Murders” by Nick Turse, The Intercept (September 2026)

Shorter America: An unhealthy alliance; Our "good friend" Pete; Oh my god these men (cont.) by Emma Shortis, The Point (August 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]. Subscribe to After America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.