GUEST:  Dr. Michelle Maloney - national convenor of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA).  

Michelle trained in political science, history and law. See Michelle’s AELA and professional web page links for more details.

Nature-based governance and bioregionalism are two visionary, system-level approaches to ecological land management explored in this episode.

TALKING POINT SEGMENTS FOR EACH GUEST  – time elapsed in minutes.

GUEST FORESHADOWING COMMENTS – 0.00

HOST EPISODE INTRODUCTION – 1.04

GUEST INTRODUCTION AND WORK IN 2025 – 04.30

IMAGINE EXERCISE 1 - TIME TRAVEL TO 2040 - 19.00

IMAGINE EXERCISE 2 - SIGNALS OF THE FUTURE – 26.45

IMAGINE EXERCISE 3 - THREE BOLD ACTIONS - 39.58

GUEST CLOSING COMMENTS AND AUDIENCE INVITATION – 54.22

END OF EPISODE DISCUSSION – 59.02

SELECTED RESOURCES RE INTERVIEW COMMENTS

ORGANISATIONS WESITES AND INITIATIVES

Australia

The Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) this website is a rich information resource on the subject of Earth based governance.

Michelle Maloney’s website – holds a marvellous selection of resources on Michelle’s writings research and thinking on Earth based governance.

Michelle’s cited book chapter on Imagining Ecocentric Bioregional Law in Australia (2024)

The North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA) Works across a ‘broad range of projects with Traditional Owners, remote communities and land and sea management practitioners through collaborative and scientific partnerships across north Australia.’

The Yarra River (Victoria) recognised as a living entity. An article outlining the story behind the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarungmurron) Act 2017. From The Conversation (September 2017)

BOOKS AND ARTCLES

Rob Hopkins: From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want (2020) Google Books overview.

Miller, R. (2018). Transforming the future:Anticipation in the 21st century. Free UNESCO book resource on Futures Literacy and Foresight.

Geoff Mulgan: Another World Is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination (2022).Mulgan is one of the foremost thinkers on increasing the exercise of public imagination.

CONCEPTS

Governance – a definition and framing from an Australian indigenous perspective (2025)

Kinship –article explaining this concept as an imaginative and protective framing of the human-nature relationship (2019)

Nature based governance and bioregional approaches to land management –information from the Australian Earth Laws Centre section of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) website (2025).

Indigenous ethics and the relationist ethos  –  some ideas from Dr. Mary Graham

Rights of Nature – a snapshot of the evolution and application of the concept in Australia. From an article in The Conversation (2023)

Utopia and dystopia – short read article on the differences between the two worldviews and their relevance to the exercise of imagination (2024).

OTHER PODCASTS LINKED TO THE FUTURE VISION IMAGINATION SPACE

The From What if to What Next podcast series (UK)– hosted by visionary thinker Rob Hopkins.

The If I ruled the World podcast series (UK) - hosted by former UK wildlife presenter and natural history broadcaster Gillian Burke.

The Accidental Gods podcast series (UK). Is a podcast ‘where we believe that another world is still possible, and together, we can create a future we’d be proud to leave to the generations that come after us.'

GUESTS AND CONTACT DETAILS:

Dr. Michelle Maloney – convenor of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance. E: [email protected]  WEB:  Facebook: Twitter:

AUSPICE PARTNER:

Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment. HOPE Inc. (Australia)

T: 07 4639 2135 E: [email protected] VOICE MAIL

PRODUCTION:

Produced for HOPE Inc. (Australia) by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 16th October 2025.

MUSIC: James Nicholson

GUEST: Series host - Andrew Nicholson

TIME ELAPSED MARKERS IN MINUTES

WHAT’S IS THIS SERIES ALL ABOUT? – 0.53

WHY FOCUS ON THE PUBLIC FUTURE VISION USE OF IMAGINATION? – 2.38

THIS PODCAST AS AN ANTIDOTE TO BUSINESS AS USUAL – 10.57

THREE CORE IMAGINATIVE EXERCISES IN THE SERIES – 12.13

OUR FOUR PILOT GUEST EPISODES TO KICK OFF THE SERIES – 16.28

RECAP OF MAIN GOALS IN THE SERIES FOR LISTENER INVOLVEMENT – 17.50

RESEARCH FOUNDATIONS – 19.35

CLOSING REFLECTIONS – 20.49

END OF EPISODE – 25.45

FURTHER READING RESOURCES

BOOKS

Miller, R. (2018). “Transforming the future: Anticipation in the 21st century. Free UNESCO book resource on Futures Literacy and Foresight.

Geoff Mulgan: Another World Is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination (2022)

IMAGINATION DEFICIT AND FUTURES LITERACY

The Imagination Deficit – recent article on the problem (2025)

TINA acronym – ‘There is no Alternative.’ Economic research article from (2023)

Planetary boundaries – Stockholm Resilience Centre

Futures Literacy – recent TED Talk on subject (2023)

Futures Literacy – various information resources provided by UNESCO (2025)

System Change most effective leverage points to intervene in a system. Website (2025)

Leaving no one behind – concept from United Nations SDG project

IMAGINATIVE AND STRATEGIC FUTURES THINKING

Ways of thinking about possible and preferable futures – and the Futures Cone graphic (by futures thinker Joseph Voros).

An Australian example of imaginative futures scenario creation - concerned with developing better climate change and public health approaches. (2020)

A UK example of imaginative scenario creation - to visualise possible future low carbon lifestyles (2024)

The HOPE Inc. (Australia) website will also have some literature on futures and foresight thinking – follow the weblink below to find the podcast series web pages. And see relevant future links on our social media Facebook and Instagram sites.

SOME MARKERS OF FAILING FUTURES

Australian nature decline – Ken Henry’s TV address to National Press Club (2025)

Public health and lifespan declines. World Health Organisation report (2025)

Global nature and natural system declines – WWF Living Planet Report (2024)

Planetary Boundaries being exceeded – research article (2023)

Vested interests state capture of government in Australia and how to resist. Article (2025)

Vested interests disproportionate influence on government policy in Australia. Article (2015)

FLOURISHING VERSUS FAILING FUTURES

 The brilliant Earth4All⁠ group name these as ‘Too Little Too Late’ (failing futures) and ‘Giant Leap’ (flourishing futures).The group’s recent book on their work: Earth for All : A survival guide for humanity (2022) was published on the 50th anniversary of the seminal Limits to Growth report and is currently available free online.

OTHER PODCAST SERIES WITH SUBSTANTIAL FUTURE VISION IMAGINATION CONTENT

 The From What if to What Next podcast series – used imaginative future vision framings across 100 episodes of guest interviews conducted between 2020 and 2024. Hosted by UK based imaginary thinker Rob Hopkins.

A short, three minutes animated video compilation of clips from some of the episodes is available. Also see his manifesto of preferable future development ideas entitled the Ministry of Imagination.

 The If I ruled the World podcast series commenced in late 2023 - hosted by former UK wildlife presenter and natural history broadcaster Gillian Burke.

 The Accidental Gods podcast series also originates in the UK. It has been running since 2019 with a cumulative total of over 300 episodes. Hosted by UK author and visionary thinker, Manda Scott.

AUSPICE PARTNER CONTACT DETAILS Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment HOPE Inc.(Australia)

T: 07 4639 2135 E: [email protected]  

WEBSITE   Instagram     LinkedIn       Facebook: - or leave a voice message via the ⁠SpeakPipe⁠ app.

GUESTS: DR. LARA MOTTEE AND DR. ANTHONY KIMPTON

How could we plan development differently? How could we ensure that urban and regional development truly serves people and the planet? One major shift could lie in how we involve citizens—not just in consultations, but in shaping decisions from the ground up. Can we, for instance, imagine future planning processes in which communities co-design solutions using the same tools as experts—like real-time data visualisation, interactive spatial models and scenarios, and digital platforms that make complex information easier to understand?

Helping me unpack these topics are my two wonderful guests:

Dr Lara Mottee, Research Fellow, John Grill Institute for Project leadership, School of Project Management, The University of Sydney. AND

Dr. Anthony Kimpton, (He/Him/His) Lecturer (Urban and Regional Planning) School of Surveying and Built Environment, University of Southern Queensland.

INTERVIEW TALKING POINT SEGMENTS time elapsed in minutes.

GENERIC AND SERIES INTRODUCTION – 0.00

GUEST FORESHADOWING COMMENTS – 2.52

EPISODE INTRODUCTION – 3.34

GUEST SELF INTRODUCTION AND WORK IN 2025 – 6.08

IMAGINATION EXERCISE 1 - TIME TRAVEL TO 2040 – 30.52

EXERCISE 2 - SIGNALS OF THE FUTURE IN 2025 – 43.00

EXERCISE 3 - THREE-ASSERTVE ACTIONS FOR 2025 – 55.12

CLOSING GUEST COMMENTS - 1.08.44

AUDIENCE INVITATION – 1.13.07

END OF EPISODE – 1.16.18

RESOURCES

DR. LARA MOTTEE:

 Carlos Moreno Ted Talk about Paris’ 15min city plan: Carlos Moreno: The 15-minute city

His book: New book! The 15-Minute City: A Solution to Saving Our Time and Our Planet - Carlos Moreno

Marco Te Brömmelstroet 

Speaking about the Australian Context (2024):

Marco’s Research Lab at the University of Amsterdam: The Lab of Thought

Future-making methods in projects Whyte, J., Mosca, L., Comi, A., & Liu, L. X. (2025). Project leadership for futuremaking. Project Management Journal, 56(2), 173-181.      Comi, A., Mosca, L., & Whyte, J. (2025). Future making as emancipatory inquiry: A value‐based exploration of desirable futures. Journal of Management Studies.

Social Impact Assessment in Transport Planning    By Dr Lara K Mottee, fact sheet about Social Impact Assessment and best practice project-based assessments of impacts on communities and societies from infrastructure projects:

University of Technology Sydney – Resources

Talk with your local Council planners! E.g., Toowoomba Regional Council:   Contact Council

Real Deal placed-based projects to support community-led transition using the practices of community organizing.  

DR ANTHONY KIMPTON

Planning Institute Australia (2021) State of the Profession

Planning Institute Australia (2025) Understanding PlanTech

Australian Government (2025) Occupation Shortage List

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021) TableBuilder

Australian Automobile Association (2024) Transport Affordability

Hackathon (2025) Discover the Latest Hackathons and STEM Challenges in Australia

Australian Data Research Commons (2025) Research Bazaar

Ebeneezer Howard Garden City concept – a short introductory article(2022)

Jared Diamond book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed (2013 ed.) Google Books review.

 The Jetsons TV series was a pioneering 1960s USA comedy animation about a family of the future. It has been ascribed both utopian and dystopian interpretations over the years.

Dr Karl Australian science populariser (2025)

GUESTS AND CONTACT DETAILS:

Dr. Anthony Kimpton, (He/Him/His) +61 7 3470 4511 - email:[email protected]

Dr Lara Mottee, email: [email protected]

AUSPICE PARTNER

HOUSEHOLDERS’ OPTIONS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT HOPE Inc. (Australia).

T: 07 4639 2135    E: WEB⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠ VOICE MESSAGE⁠⁠⁠ .

PRODUCTION:

Produced for HOPE Inc. (Australia) by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 17th June, 2025

Music: James Nicholson Artwork: Andrew Nicholson.

GUEST: DR.ANDREW JOYCE

Dr Andrew Joyce, Senior Research Fellow with the Centre for Social Impact at Swinburne University of Technology. In our discussion we delve into how systems thinking, social movements, and policy innovation could come together to spark transformative change—locally, nationally, and globally.

Our core discussion focussed on past research conducted by Dr Joyce and colleagues which found that not all policy demands and actions have the same potential to create the changes needed to mitigate climate change.

It is important therefore to understand to what extent different demands have the leverage to create change in the system.

By unpacking the types of leverage points for change most commonly mentioned by climate advocacy groups in Australia, research identified which were missing.

Such insights can assist advocacy groups in choosing demands that might be more impactful in leveraging change.

INTERVIEW TALKING POINT SEGMENTS – with approximate time elapsed in minutes.

GENERIC INTRODUCTION – 0.00

GUEST FORESHADOWING COMMENTS – 2.52

EPISODE INTRODUCTION – 3.24

GUEST SELF INTRODUCTION IN 2025 – 4.52

IMAGINATION EXERCISE 1 - TIME TRAVEL TO 2040 – 7.59

EXERCISE 2 - SIGNALS OF THE FUTURE IN 2025 – 14.18

EXERCISE 3 - THREE-POINT ACTION PLAN 2025 – 19.0

HOST TAKEAWAYS ON SYSTEM LEVERAGE – 30.23

CLOSING COMMENTS AND AUDIENCE INVITE – 33.46

END OF EPISODE DISCUSSION – 36.55

SELECTED RESOURCES BASED ON GUEST COMMENTS

INITIATIVES AND ORGANISATIONS

AUSTRALIA

Two examples of Australian NFP organisations that have had explicit environmental advocacy objectives aimed at achieving higher levels of system change influence/intervention.

The Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA)

‘For over a decade, CAHA and its many alliance members have advocated for a national Australian strategy on climate health and wellbeing.’

The Wilderness Society

‘The Wilderness Society is pushing for governments and corporations across Australia to enshrine and activate community rights in environmental decision-making. If the public is empowered with laws, policies and regulations that recognise our right to a fair say in decision-making, we’ll ensure a better future for people and nature.’

INTERNATIONAL

The Donella Meadows Project The late Professor Meadows was an internationally renowned thinker and researcher on system change intervention going back many decades.

BOOKS AND ARTCLES

Research paper by Dr Joyce and colleagues A systems science leverage point analysis of climate change advocacy (December 2023)

Original paper with abstract online - Health promotion International

Free and accessible extensive digest of paper findings from Swinburne Centre for Social Impact.

Miller, R. (2018). Transforming the future: Anticipation in the 21st century. Free UNESCO book resource on Futures Literacy and Foresight.

Geoff Mulgan: Another World Is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination (2022)

CONCEPTS

The Intervention Level Framework as developed by Dr Finegood and colleagues. On this site there are some good graphics and links to other research on system change approaches – in this case relevant to public health. Part of the complex systems frameworks collection of Simon Fraser University, BC Canada.

GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS:

GUEST: Dr Andrew Joyce, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne CSI, Australia.

AUSPICE PARTNER (HOPE INC. AUSTRALIA)

 Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) T:07 4639 2135     E: [email protected]

 WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

WEBSITE            FACEBOOK            INSTAGRAM      LINKED IN

⁠VOICE MESSAGE⁠⁠ . Please be aware we might want to use anonymous comments in future audience feedback episodes and research.

PRODUCTION:

Produced for HOPE Inc. Australia by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 10th June 2025

Music: James Nicholson Artwork: Andrew Nicholson.

GUEST: DR MARK DIESENDORF

My guest in this episode is Dr Mark Diesendorf, Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Humanities & Languages, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney.

During our discussion, Dr Diesendorf outlines how we could weaken state capture of governments and institutions by vested interests - and push for a fairer society through building a mass movement and alliances; and implementing visionary policies, such as transitioning to a steady state economy and providing universal basic services.

In some of his most recent work he has identified the interconnected, damaging effects produced by politically powerful vested interests supported by an economic system based on the exploitation of the environment and most people for the benefit of a wealthy minority.

Along with other researchers in this space such findings point toward a highly probable dystopian future involving the continued loss of nature, massive social disruption and even the ultimate collapse of modern civilisation.

The good news is that we do not have to follow that trajectory into failing futures. We can and must change our development pathways - which is what the bulk of the discussion is focussed on.

INTERVIEW TALKING POINT SEGMENTS FOR EACH GUEST – with approximate time elapsed in minutes.

GENERIC INTRO AND GUEST FORESHADOW – 0.00

EPISODE INTRODUCTION – 3.38

GUEST SELF-INTRODUCTION – 5.37

GUEST WORK IN 2025 AND GOING FORWARD – 8.23

IMAGINATIVE EXERCISE 1 - TIME TRAVEL TO 2040 – 17.39

EXERCISE 2 - SIGNALS OF THE FUTURE IN 2025 – 30.36

CLOSING COMMENTS AND AUDIENCE INVITATION– 41.27

END OF EPISODE – 45.17

SELECTED RESOURCES BASED ON COMMENTS

Dr. MARK DISENDORF RESOURCES

His portal WEBSITE with links to a wide range of his research publications, presentations and ideas.

A recent paper covering many of the ideas discussed in the episode. A Strategy for Resisting the Vested Interests Driving the Collapse of the Biosphere and Civilisation (2025).

Some of Mark’s thinking on ecological economics and non-orthodox economic solutions to multiple interconnected challenges we are facing. (May 2025).

Mark’s landmark book dealing with the impacts of state capture by vested interests – and strategies of resistance The Path to a Sustainable Civilisation: Technological, Socioeconomic and Political Change (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023)

Selection of other research publications from Mark - listed by UNSW Sydney.

INITIATIVES AND ORGANISATIONS

DiEM25

‘Europe will be democratised, once the oligarchy is overthrown! (DiEM25 06 2025).

Australian Democracy Network

'We are creating an Australia where civil society isrobust and vibrant; public debate is informed, fair and diverse; citizens are engaged, government is clean, open and accountable and the wellbeing of people and the planet comes first.' (ADM 2025)

BOOKS:

Yanis Varoufakis - Another Now: Dispatches from an Alternative Present (2020). Google book review of an intriguing fictional approach to imagining a preferable more sustainable future.

Geoff Mulgan – Another World Is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination (2022)

Miller, R. (2018). Transforming the future: Anticipation in the 21st century. Free UNESCO book resource on Futures Literacy and Foresight.

CONCEPTS:

Ecological economics – a short video introduction to principles and examples by Dr Dan O’Neill of the European Society for Ecological Economics.

CONTACT DETAILS:

GUEST: Dr. Mark Diesendorf

E: [email protected] WEB: Facebook: LinkedIn.

AUSPICE PARTNER (HOPE INC. AUSTRALIA)

Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) T: 07 4639 2135     E: [email protected]

 WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

WEBSITE           FACEBOOK           INSTAGRAM        LINKED IN ⁠

VOICE MESSAGE⁠

PRODUCTION:

Produced for HOPE Inc. Australia by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 4th June 2025

Music: James Nicholson Artwork: Andrew Nicholson

GUESTS: Jennifer Waithman co-ordinator of the Wide Bay Burnett environment council, and Dr.Sarah Pye , staff member at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

In this episode we imagine opportunities for a future strengthening of the collaboration between art, science, and nature connectedness. How might the increased power of storytelling which emerges help us move toward achieving a climate safer, properly nature protected, socially fairer and genuinely more prosperous future? A flourishing future which leaves no-one behind.?

I’m joined by two great guests Jennifer Waithman and Dr.Sarah Pye to help explore this future vision imaginative question and others. Both are from Southern Queensland, Australia.

Both guests have great experience in combining art and science in imaginative storytelling aimed at helping educate audiences on the importance of proper protection of nature. For Sarah, that has included writing children’s books on the topic and Jennifer has extensive experience in interpretive guiding for nature.

INTERVIEW TALKING POINT SEGMENTS FOR EACH GUEST – with approximate time elapsed in minutes.

(00.00) GENERIC INTRODUCTION

(02.52) GUEST FORESHADOW"

(03.25) EPISODE INTRODUCTION

(06.36) GUEST SELF INTRO AND WORK IN 2025

(19.06) IMAGINATIVE EXERCISE -1 TIME TRAVEL TO 2040

(29.38) IMAG EXERCISE 2 -SIGNALS OF FUTURE IN 2025

(41.41) IMAG EXERCISE 3 - ACTION PLAN FOR 2025

(51.58) CLOSING COMMENTS /AUDIENCE INVITATION

(54.41) END OF MAIN EPISODE DISCUSSION

BONUS CONTENT – ANTHROPOMORPHISM -NATURE STORYTELLING-EDUCATION.

(1.06.34) EPISODE CLOSE

SELECTED RESOURCES RELEVANT TO INTERVIEW COMMENTS

INITIATIVES AND ORGANISATIONS

Interpretation Australia – portal website

Dr Pye’s academic publication record at University of Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

The Wide Bay Burnett Conservation Council (WBBCC).

BOOKS

Lesley Head: Hope and Grief in the Anthropocene: Reconceptualising Human-Nature Relations (2016) short review based on discussion with the author (2018)

Miller, R. (2018). Transforming the future: Anticipation in the 21st century. Free UNESCO book resource on Futures Literacy and Foresight.

Geoff Mulgan: Another World Is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination (2022)

Dr. Sarah Pye’s book, conservation and schools education work ⁠website⁠. Freeman Tilden - Interpreting our Heritage (1957)

CONCEPTS

Anthropomorphism - background on the idea

Ecological Citizenship in relation to children’s play areas – taken from tertiary level academic course at Wrexham University, UK (2025)

Ecological economics – a short video introduction to principles and examples by Dr Dan O’Neill of the European Society for Ecological Economics.

Ecological or Eco Grief – a short 2018 Conversation article on this issue.

Experiential Education - a USA perspective on basic principles

Nature Connectedness - taken from the portal site of the University of Derby, UK (2025)

Radical Hope - short introduction set in a museums context.

Rights of Nature – an introduction from the portal Australian Earth Laws Centre site

Planetary boundaries – Stockholm Resilience Centre

Gross Domestic Product – a brief history based on an article from the World Economic Forum (2025).

GUEST AND OTHER CONTACT DETAILS:

 GUESTS: Dr.Sarah Pye WEB

Jennifer Waithman at Wide Bay Burnett Environment Council E: [email protected]

AUSPICE PARTNER:

Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE):

T: 07 4639 2135     E: [email protected]

 WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

WEBSITE           FACEBOOK           INSTAGRAM        LINKED IN

You can now easily send a ⁠ VOICE MESSAGE to the show. Please be aware we might want to use anonymous comments in audience feedback episodes and research.

PRODUCTION:

Produced for HOPE Inc. Australia by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on  2nd June 2025

 Music: James Nicholson Artwork: Andrew Nicholson