FontCast

Fresh from the state budget lockup, Tasmanian Business Reporter editor at large Amanda Lovell, joins Becher and the Brads to unpack the state budget. Anyone who was expecting a surprise, suspense or excitement will be sorely disappointed. Becher described it as "cautious and conservative", Amanda wraps it up as "racking up a lot of debt" and Brad Stansfield reveals how he would advise the opposition to prepare its budget reply. Join the team to find out how it's likely to affect you.

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After a historic budget in the wake of the Covid recession, Brad, Becher and Brad put their heads together to unpack what it all really means and how it's going to affect Tasmania.

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After Brad Stansfield's column in The Mercury calling for Labor to dump leader Rebecca White Brad Nowland and Becher Townshend want to know what he thinks the opposition leader should be doing. Given the disastrous position the party is in is it possible for Labor to win power in 2022? Becher also says Stansfield should "never say never" when it comes to working for the Labor party himself. After some intense and sometimes loud discussion, they are joined by The Australian's Matt Denholm to talk COVID and the media's performance through the pandemic.

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All together in the same room for the first time in more than six months, Brad, Becher and Brad are resigned to the likelihood the state's borders will be closed until Christmas. Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds makes her in her first appearance on the show, and nothing is off the table, from her frustrations with council politics and possible council amalgamations to the city's worsening homelessness crisis.

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In what is probably their last episode from isolation, Becher and the Brads have mixed feelings about the prospect of joining each other back in the office. Just moments after the Premier announced the state was reopening they are joined by Daniel Hanna, the Executive General Manager of Federal Group. Daniel has previously worked as the head of the Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania and the Hotels Association and gave the FontCast a very frank assessment of the Tourism industry's prospects in the short and long term.

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In the third and possibly last episode from isolation Becher and the Brads dream of what they'll do with their first weekend after lockdown. But what's in store for the state and the vital tourism industry which has ground to a halt? Chair of East Coast Tourism and a member of the Premier's new Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council, Kym Goodes, joins the podcast to talk about recovery prospects.

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Watching states like Queensland and WA easing restrictions, Becher and the Brads link up remotely from corona isolation wondering if the State Government will Tasmania's lockdown anytime soon. The crisis has also served to highlight the importance of reliable, trustworthy news. Editor of The Mercury, Jenna Cairney, joins the podcast to talk about publishing a newspaper from isolation and the challenges she has faced in her three months at the paper.

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As they all hunker down and stay safe amidst the COVID-19 lockdown Brad, Becher and Brad press on with the FontCast from their home offices. Through the magic of technology, they link up with Sam Paske from EMRS to hear about the latest opinion polls on the coronavirus response.

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The first opinion polls are out since Premier Peter Gutwein took over from Will Hodgman and Brad and Becher have an exclusive first look. EMRS Managing Director Sam Paske reveals how the electorate feels about the new premier. Senior reporter for the Mercury David Killick also drops in to talk about how the coronavirus outbreak has been covered and how authorities are handling it.

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FontCast's second season is off with a bang. Former Tasmanian Premier Robin Gray talks exclusively with Brad Stansfield, and Brad Nowland about the release of his new tell-all book Proud to be Tasmanian. The leader of the state's first Liberal majority government opened up about how his political memoirs would set the record straight after his political opponents had spent decades spreading misinformation about the success of his government.

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