Former Attorney-General George Brandis joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the Liberal Party’s “Jack Kerouac political experience” and wider political trends.  

Is the Liberal Party’s shift to the right a more recent trend or has it been a long time coming? Does the party still need to find itself? And is it finally time for gender quotas? 

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor George Brandis KC joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss rediscovering the Liberal Party. 

George Brandis KC is a former Attorney-General, the recent High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and a Professor in the Practice of National Security at the Australian National University (ANU). 

Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The hosts of Democracy Sausage are joined by political scientist Jill Sheppard and ANU students to gauge the current state of politics. 

Will the tensions between the Liberal and National parties be a shot in the foot or an opportunity to reshape the parties? What questions and issues linger for Australia’s young people after the federal election? And what will it take for a Liberal party to connect with young people? 

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, recorded in a political science classroom, Dr Jill Sheppard and Dr Marija Taflaga take Professor Mark Kenny back to school to discuss the changing face of Australian politics. 

A special thanks to the student panel for volunteering and contributing to this podcast.

Jill Sheppard is a Senior Lecturer in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. She is an investigator on several major survey studies of Australian public opinion and behaviour, including the Australian Election Study, World Values Survey, and Asian Barometer Survey.  

Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Correspondent Jason Koutsoukis joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the latest power plays, election missteps and the lost heart of the Liberal party. 

How did the Liberal party misjudge the election? Now returned to power, can Labor deliver on its election promises? And is Sussan Ley up to the task of reshaping a Liberal party adrift? 

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, journalist Jason Koutsoukis joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss stories from this new parliament. 

Jason Koutsoukis is a special correspondent for The Saturday Paper. 

Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political scientist Dr Jill Sheppard and independent electoral analyst Ben Raue unpack the latest results on seats and preference flows, the cabinet battles in the party room and the two-party system.  

With some of the election dust settled, what does it tell us about the relevancy of two-party preferred polling? Can Albanese maintain party unity with a landslide victory, a huge backbench and a diversity of voices? And will new Liberal party leader, Sussan Ley, be able to keep her party room onside? 

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Jill Sheppard and Ben Raue talk to Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga about interesting results, cabinet battles and how to create unity without silencing diverse voices.  

Ben Raue is an independent electoral analyst and the founder of The Tally Room.    

Jill Sheppard is a Senior Lecturer in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. She is an investigator on several major survey studies of Australian public opinion and behaviour, including the Australian Election Study, World Values Survey, and Asian Barometer Survey. 

Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join the hosts of Democracy Sausage for a discussion about Labor’s victory and what it means.  

What can we expect from Albanese’s leadership approach the second time around? Can we expect Labor to continue to have the same level of unity? And how can the Liberals rebuild after their election defeat?

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga discuss the outcome of the 2025 federal election. 

Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final week before ballots are counted, Jill Sheppard and Frank Bongiorno join Democracy Sausage for a live discussion where they sink their teeth into the 2025 federal election. 

Who won the four debates, and do they even change people’s minds? In a scenario where we end up with a minority government, what can we expect from the crossbench? And which questions still remain in our live audience’s minds? 

On this live episode of Democracy Sausage, recorded at an ANU pub, Dr Jill Sheppard and Professor Frank Bongiorno join Dr Marija Taflaga and Professor Mark Kenny for a final rundown of the 2025 election. 

Jill Sheppard is a Senior Lecturer in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. She is an investigator on several major survey studies of Australian public opinion and behaviour, including the Australian Election Study, World Values Survey, and Asian Barometer Survey. 

Frank Bongiorno is a Professor at the ANU School of History. He is President of the Australian Historical Association and the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.  

Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Data analyst Simon Jackman joins Democracy Sausage to chat about the polls, swing seats and how the global uncertainty is impacting this election.  

When did Labor’s recovery start? How has uncertainty in the US influenced the framing of this election and left the Coalition vulnerable? And does this election cycle point to any changes in how the major parties operate? 

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Simon Jackman joins Professor Mark Kenny to talk about polling data and the AUS-US relationship. 

Join us Monday 28 April at Badger&Co on the ANU campus for a recording of Democracy Sausage in the pub. More information here: https://www.anu.edu.au/events/democracy-sausage-2025-live-election-special  

Simon Jackman is an independent data scientist and strategist. He is an Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre and an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, and the Society for Political Methodology. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political communications expert Andrea Carson joins Democracy Sausage to discuss social media, misinformation and disinformation and what ideas, if any, are actually landing with a disengaged electorate.  

Which campaign messages are cutting through in both traditional and social media? Are mis- and disinformation seducing the electorate any more than in the past? And are we now seeing social media impact not only how campaigns are run, but also how policy is designed? 

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Andrea Carson joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the ‘subterranean’ election campaign – the crackpot memes, AI videos and Gen Z-courting content that could shape votes and policy.  

Andrea Carson is a is Associate Dean, Research, Industry and Engagement with the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of Political Communication in the Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy at La Trobe University. She is also an award-winning former journalist.  

Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian Frank Bongiorno joins Democracy Sausage to tell us what we can learn from precedent, and what's unusual about this federal election. 

How will Trump’s tariffs sway this campaign and Australia’s relationship with the US? Has Labor flipped the worldwide incumbency disadvantage trend? And how much campaigning is landing with a disengaged populace? 

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Frank Bongiorno joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss elections past and present. 

Frank Bongiorno is a Professor at the ANU School of History. He is President of the Australian Historical Association and the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. 

Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first sausage sizzle of this federal election campaign, pollster Shaun Ratcliff gives Democracy Sausage an update on the state of the campaign. 

Is Labor bouncing back in the polls? How likely is it that Will Peter Dutton pull off his appeal to voters in the outer suburbs? And will the question ‘are you better off than you were three years ago’ sway voters this election? 

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Shaun Ratcliff joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the 2025 federal election. 

Shaun Ratcliff is a political scientist, survey researcher and data scientist. He is the principal at Accent Research. He is also an Honorary Associate at the University of Sydney’s US Studies Centre. 

Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. 

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.