Future Perfect

Dylan is joined by Cam Walker, campaigns coordinator at Friends of the Earth, to talk through the decommissioning of aging oil and gas infrastructure in the Bass Strait and ahead of a Victorian Parliamentary inquiry, and the impact of the upcoming US election on global climate action. (0:59)

Rebecca Johnston Ryan, Director and Principal Lawyer of Night Service at Fitzroy Legal Service, drops by to discuss the 2024 edition of their Law Handbook and the importance of community access to free legal advice and justice. (14:35)

Clinton Fernandes, Professor of International and Political Studies at the University of New South Wales, and Deb Salvagno, Founder of East Timor Women Australia, visit to chat about the 25th anniversary of East Timor's independence ahead of a symposium and exhibition ‘Tais, Culture & Resilience’ in Melbourne to mark the occasion (29:24)

Plus, Emma Sharp, General Manager of Stupid Old Studios, and comedian Matt Stewart drop in to chat about the Cheerful Earful comedy podcast festival in Melbourne October 4-6. (56:37)

And finally, Sydney musician Isobel Knight checks in on her music journey over recent years ahead of a string of Melbourne shows and the screening of her tour film Lost Dog on September 18. (1:12:11)

Dylan is joined by American author and political analyst Thomas Frank to break down what we can expect in the lead-up to the US election, and what he experienced attending the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. (0:57)

Psychiatrist and author Dr Mark Cross unpacks his new book Mental State, outlining a range of systemic problems in how we currently treat and manage mental ill health across the nation, and some possible solutions. (33:15)

Kirsty Bishop-Fox, sustainability educator and environmental advocate, drops by to discuss how we can all reduce our environmental footprint and previews the Zero Waste Festival at Fed Square. (56:25)

Plus, electronic and avant-garde musician Ash Wednesday chats about his new album AfterMATH composed for the Melbourne Town Hall Grand Organ, and his relationship with music living with Multiple Sclerosis. (1:11:37)

Guest host Ben Harrington is joined by Dr Karinna Saxby, Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, to make sense of the recent controversy around the federal government’s original move not to include questions about gender diversity and sexual orientation in the 2026 census, and why having this data on a national scale is so important. (1:01)

Nicole Gurran, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Sydney, takes us inside the recently released final report from the People’s Commission into the Housing Crisis, and the recommendations that the report proposes to address spiralling housing prices and homelessness in Australia. (13:22)

Plus, New Zealand psychedelic groover Joe Ghatt joins in to chat about his second album ‘Caper’ and his experiences as a solo artist ahead of a gig in Melbourne at the Northcote Social Club on September 2. (33:55)

Content warning: this episode contains discussion of sexual assault and violence. If you find any of this distressing, you can seek support via 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 and the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

Dylan is joined by author and food journalist Dani Valent to take a further look at the issues tackled in her new piece for The Age, which shines a light on sexual abuse and assault in the hospitality industry. (1:22)

Dr Melinda Hildebrandt, Policy Fellow at the Mitchell Institute, unpacks concerns in the tertiary sector following the federal government’s proposal earlier this year of a cap on international student enrolments, and how the government could introduce the cap while protecting university funding. (14:28)

Author & federal MP Dr Andrew Leigh digs into his new book The Shortest History of Economics, and the insights that this history can offer on the evolution of human societies. (32:20)

Plus, comedian Josh Earl drops by to talk about his return to the stage with his comedy show Four Burners this week at the Butterfly Club, and the art of finding humour in a modern dilemma. (48:15)

And finally, musician St. Vincent checks in ahead of her upcoming Victorian tour to chat about her new album All Born Screaming, playing in Australia and much more. (1:00:46)

Dylan is joined by Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor at Monash University and gambling reform expert, to discuss the federal government’s imminent response to the parliamentary inquiry into online gambling and why a partial ban won’t work. (1:05)

Ika Trijsburg, Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, unpacks how cities can help to address disinformation and prevent discrimation in light of protests in the UK fuelled by anti-Muslim rhetoric, as explored in her current project and recent analysis. (16:51)

Journalist Ben Mckelvey talks about his recent report for The Saturday Paper, which revealed that the Australian Defence Force contacted the Attorney General’s Department back in 2012 seeking advice on the possibility that Australian soldiers were breaching the criminal code in Afghanistan. (29:39)

Plus, director Jolyon Hoff takes us on a trip through the inception and history of Australian surf culture as celebrated in his new film You Should Have Been Here Yesterday, screening as part of Melbourne International Film Festival.(43:24)

And finally, Lach Denton of Australian band Pop Filter chats about the band’s latest single ‘Fragile’ and what the group are doing differently with their music in the lead up to their forthcoming album Ray and Lorraine’s.

Dylan is joined by Laura Davy, social policy expert and lecturer at ANU, to dig into the federal government’s response to the Disability Royal Commission, and its acceptance in full of just 13 out of the report’s 172 recommendations for which it has responsibility. (0:51)

Amelia Leavesley, Researcher at the University of Melbourne, visits to break down the ongoing investigation into the role ‘Big Plastic’ has in swaying local and international recycling and climate policies. (15:41)

Journalist and author Royce Kurmelovs explores his new book Slick, which charts the history of Australia’s relationship with Big Oil and the disastrous climate impacts of the extraction and burning of fossil fuels. (32:59)

Plus, R&B artist Jada Weazel drops by to chat about her relationship with music and accolades following the release of her new single ‘Send My Love’ and nomination for New Talent of the Year at the National Indigenous Music Awards. (59:28)

Dylan is joined by Jana Favero, Head of Systemic Change at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, and former Nauru detainee Betelhem Tibedu, to explore the health crisis in Australia’s offshore detention camps in PNG and Nauru, as highlighted in the ASRC’s new report. (0:56)

Matt Byrne, Politics Lead at the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, visits to discuss the threat that AI poses to journalism and the creative industries, as outlined in the MEAA’s submission to a Senate inquiry into the opportunities and impacts of AI in Australia. (17:45)

Dr Courtney Walton, psychologist and Academic Fellow at the University of Melbourne, drops by to chat about the mental toll experienced by elite athletes and how Olympians cope with the huge pressure to perform on the world’s biggest stage. (34:53)

Plus, John Quiggan, Professor of Economics at the University of Queensland, lays out how the era of privatisation is coming to an end, as explored in his recent article for The Guardian. (49:48)

On this special bonus episode of Future Perfect, former Breakfaster Jeff Sparrow and cartoonist Sam Wallman join Dylan for an RRR In Conversation event from Triple R's Performance Space, to discuss the release of their new comic-book guide 12 Rules for Strife.

You can check out a preview gallery of 12 Rules For Strife here: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/news-articles/preview-gallery-12-rules-for-strife-by-jeff-sparrow-sam-wallman

Content warning: this episode contains discussion of sexual assault and violence. If you find any of this distressing, you can seek support via 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 and the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

Dylan is joined by Mark Willacy, journalist and reporter for ABC Investigations, to take us inside Retribution, his 2-part series for Four Corners on what a second Trump presidency would look like, featuring interviews with Project 2025 leaders, pro-Trump supporters and whistleblowers. (1:03)

Benita Kolovos, Victorian state correspondent for Guardian Australia, unpacks the political fallout and state government response to the bombshell allegations of organised crime infiltrating the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU). (13:45)

Author, ex-journalist and consent educator Jane Gilmore visits to give her thoughts on effective education to tackle misogyny in young men and promote positive attitudes towards women ahead of her panel appearance for Boys to Men: Remodelling Masculinity at the Wheeler Centre on July 25. (25:37)

Plus, director David Charles Rodrigues chats about their new film S/He is Still Her/E, a documentary exploring the radical and mixed legacy of artist Genesis P-Orridge, before its Australian premiere at ACMI on July 27. (44:08)

Dylan is joined by David Mejia-Canales, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, to break down his new report ‘Protest in Peril’, which looks at anti-protest trends across various jurisdictions in Australia. (1:11)

Juanita Sherwood, Professor in Indigenous Policy at the University of Technology Sydney, discusses the snap curfews recently imposed to curb youth violence in Alice Springs, and concerns about how such powers discriminate against First Nations people and communities. (16:29)

Food historian Dr Lauren Samuelsson provides a history of the Australian Women’s Weekly cookbook series and its impact on Australian food culture ahead of her talk as part of Melbourne Rare Book Week on July 19. (33:26)

Plus, Lowanna Grant, NITV Radio Executive Producer, discusses her new podcast series Ngiyang, which tells the story of how the Wiradyuri language has been reclaimed and rejuvenated, and the continued efforts to ensure its survival (44:55)

And finally, singer-songwriter Darren Hanlon chats about his experiences gigging over the years and his current tour celebrating 22 years of his debut album Hello Stranger, including a stop at the Brunswick Ballroom on July 26. (57:11)