A West Australian council spent an estimated $180,000 a year on disputes it never actually resolved.

One ratepayer was prosecuted for pulling weeds and planting native trees — then billed for his own prosecution.

Gavin Waugh is the founder of the Melville Shadow Council, a volunteer-run "council in waiting" set up to hold the City of Melville accountable between elections.

In this conversation, Gavin walks Nirmal through what pushed him to act after more than a decade of unresolved disputes, how local government oversight bodies actually work, and what he calls "crimes of participation" — the pattern he says councils use against residents who speak up.

A candid, occasionally uncomfortable look at how one of Perth's local councils operates, and what genuine community engagement could look like instead.

🔗 Melville Shadow Council: melville.shadowcouncil.org

Timestamps:

00:00 Cold Open: "I Pay for My Own Prosecution"

00:28 Welcome: Gavin Waugh, Melville Shadow Council

01:07 What Is Local Government Actually For?

03:00 Enter the Shadow Council: Bridging the Gap

04:26 One Volunteer, No Pay, No Access — How Does He Cope?

06:01 Are the Watchdogs Actually Independent?

07:12 12 Years in the Making: Why He Finally Acted

08:30 Answering the Mayor's "We're Already Transparent" Claim

11:04 The "Double Whammy": Paying to Be Prosecuted

12:09 Prosecuted for Planting Native Trees

14:02 What Is a Shadow Council, in Plain English?

14:59 Charged for Information the Law Says Is Free

15:43 What Does "Council in Waiting" Mean?

16:42 Why He Launched on April Fools' Day

17:19 Staying Motivated With Zero Funding

20:16 The "Revolving Door" of Local Government Oversight

22:38 Auditing the Auditors: Conflicts on the ARIC Committee

23:59 50+ "Council Failures" — and Counting

26:29 Volunteers: 1% on the Books, 30% in Reality

31:12 What New Migrants Should Know About Local Councils

33:06 What Real Community Engagement Should Look Like

36:49 Are Decisions Already Made Before You Speak?

37:46 What Are "Crimes of Participation"?

39:11 Is This Just Melville — or Every Council?

40:47 Why State Government Reforms Keep Failing

44:31 Two Changes He Wants to See in Two Years

45:57 The Personal Cost of Fighting City Hall

48:06 You're Convinced. Where Do You Start?

51:06 How to Contact the Melville Shadow Council

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇

Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/

Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube

Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, at

Website: https://nirmalsingh.au/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/

His maiden speech in Parliament became the first in Australian history banned from YouTube. Then it hit three million views.

John Ruddick — NSW Legislative Council MLC, Sky News regular, and free speech absolutist — joins Perth Dialogues to talk about what actually got him banned, the High Court challenge he's leading against the government's under-16 social media ban, and his answer to a bigger question: who actually controls public conversation in Australia today?

John's maiden speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw1zPTDEVxA

In this conversation:

- How a mortgage broker became a Libertarian Party MLC after the COVID lockdowns

- The maiden speech that became the first in Australian parliamentary history banned from YouTube

- Leading the High Court challenge against the under-16 social media ban

- His view on what the ban is really about — and why he doesn't believe it's about child safety

- Who he believes actually controls public conversation today- His opposition to NSW's hate speech laws

- Where he believes the real limits of free speech should sit

- His message to anyone who finds his views confronting

Follow the conversation:00:00 The Maiden Speech That Got Banned From YouTube

01:45 How Did John Ruddick Get Into Politics?

02:17 Why He Left the Liberal Party for the Libertarians

04:43 What Actually Got His Maiden Speech Banned?

07:43 Was He Always a Free Speech Absolutist?

16:13 What Is the High Court Challenge Against the Social Media Ban?

22:01 Do Kids Need Protecting Online — or Is This About Control?

33:43 So Who Actually Controls the Conversation Today?

40:47 Why Does He Oppose NSW's Hate Speech Laws?

45:16 Where Should the Line on Free Speech Actually Be?

48:28 His Message to Anyone Who Finds His Views Unsettling

--------------------------------------------------------------------Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/

Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube

Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic

--------------------------------------------------------------------Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, at

Website: https://nirmalsingh.au/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/

He was a team lead in India. In Australia, he had to start over as a junior developer — and rebuild his way to Chief Data Officer.

In this episode, Harpreet Khalsa — Chief Data Officer at a Perth university and author of The Data Playbook — joins Nirmal Singh to trace a 20-year journey from web developer to enterprise data and AI leadership. Harpreet shares his journey of restarting a career as a migrant, why AI still needs data to mean anything, a job-search story that turned around in just three weeks, and what "Sikhi" — the idea of being a lifelong learner — means for how he leads.

In this conversation:

- Restarting a tech career from scratch after moving from India to Melbourne, Canberra, then Perth

- The shift from web developer to data, business intelligence, and now AI

- Why "AI is just intelligence — and intelligence still needs data"

- A job search bet that turned into three offers in three weeks- Reflections on discrimination, mentorship, and what actually helped him succeed

- Leadership, loneliness, and the Sikh principle of being a lifelong learner

🔗 Connect with Harpreet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harpreet-khalsa-2a341011/

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Who Is Harpreet Khalsa? From Developer to Chief Data Officer

00:06:00 What Was Harpreet's Toughest Migration Challenge?

00:09:48 How Did He Move From Web Developer to Data Leader?

00:14:56 What's the Real Difference Between Data and AI?

00:18:43 Why Are More Businesses Becoming Data-Driven?

00:22:16 How Much Data Is Too Much? Balancing Privacy and Insight

00:28:38 What's the Biggest Risk in Rolling Out AI?

00:33:29 How Do You Keep Up When Technology Changes Overnight?

00:34:10 Why AI Is Nothing Without Good Data

00:36:45 Is Workplace Discrimination Real — or Just Human Nature?

00:42:44 What Culture Shock Looks Like in an Australian Office

00:49:57 Does Diversity Slow Teams Down — or Strengthen Them?

00:55:47 Should Migrants Adapt — or Stay Authentic?

00:57:46 Who Helped Harpreet Succeed? The Power of Mentorship

01:04:15 His Best Advice for Any New Migrant in Australia

01:11:53 Is Leadership Lonely? Harpreet's Honest Answer

01:15:21 What Would He Change About Australian Work Culture?

--------------------------------------------------------------------Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇

Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/

Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube

Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic --------------------------------------------------------------------Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, at

Website: https://nirmalsingh.au/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/

Australia took 2 million migrants in 25 years after World War II. In the last five years alone, we've taken another 2 million. Same number — one-fifth the time. Is our multicultural framework built for that pace?"Multiculturalism has turned into a dogma — something that cannot be questioned." When the editor of a new book on immigration dares to ask the hard questions, the answers are more nuanced than any political party will admit.Chetna Mahadik is the General Manager of the Robert Menzies Institute in Melbourne and editor of 'Immigration & Multiculturalism: The Past, the Present and the Future' (Connor Court, 2026) — a landmark collection bringing together political leaders, scholars and commentators from across the political spectrum to examine where Australian multiculturalism came from, where it stands today, and where it needs to go.Buy the book: https://www.connorcourtbooks.com.au/products/immigration-multiculturalism-the-past-the-present-and-the-future-edited-by-chetna-mahadikConnect with Chetna:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chetna-mahadik-0306902/The Spectator Australia: https://www.spectator.com.au/author/chetna-mahadik/Timestamps:00:00 Is Multiculturalism Becoming a Dogma That Can't Be Questioned?01:13 From India to Melbourne - Chetna's Story04:21 "Did You Experience Racism in Australia?"06:31 Is Multiculturalism a Success — or Has It Become Untouchable?17:06 Why Write a Book on Multiculturalism Right Now?19:12 The Blind Men and the Elephant — And What It Tells Us About Australia22:04 How Do You Bring Labor and Liberal Together in One Book?25:49 From White Australia Policy to Multicultural in 25 Years — How?33:32 Has Multiculturalism Become a Dogma — Not a Framework?37:35 Do Second-Generation Migrants See Australia Differently?42:48 Is Australia Actually Racist — or Is the Narrative Misleading?50:33 Who Gets to Define Racism in Australia?51:41 Why Does the Media Keep Getting Multiculturalism Wrong?56:01 Is Anti-Racism Now a Funded Industry — and Who Benefits?01:00:17 Is Government Funding of Migrant Groups Actually Stereotyping Them?01:05:19 Should we take Pauline Hanson's 'Monoculture' Seriously?01:09:47 How Do You Build Multicultural Communities From the Ground Up?01:14:46 Are Group Rights Quietly Undermining Individual Rights?01:19:22 If Multiculturalism Isn't Working — What's the Alternative?01:21:07 Why Does Chetna End the Book with "Let's Remain Friends"?--------------------------------------------------------------------Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/ Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic --------------------------------------------------------------------Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, atWebsite: https://nirmalsingh.au/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/

Garth Davis turned a $1,000 property deposit into $170,000 in equity — and he's spent the last 20 years helping everyday Australians do the same.

Garth Davis is the Founder and CEO of Property Powerhouse, who emigrated from Zimbabwe to Perth in 2002 and has spent over 20 years helping more than 500 mum-and-dad investors build property portfolios across Australia. In this conversation, Garth and Nirmal unpack the federal government's new tax changes — capital gains, negative gearing, and what it means for new builds versus established homes — and what it all means for first-home buyers, investors, and renters caught in the middle.

Meet Garth here:

Property Powerhouse: https://www.propertypowerhouse.com.au/garth-davis/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PropertyPowerhouse/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/property-powerhouse

Phone: 0408 735 9490

0:00 New Federal Budget Has Property Investors on Edge

02:36 From Zimbabwe to Property Powerhouse

05:26 Property Cycles Explained

08:30 Inside the Tax Changes

10:49 Is Buying at the "Top of the Market" a Mistake?

14:03 Can Policy Actually Fix Intergenerational Inequity?

17:00 CGT and Negative Gearing

20:11 New Builds vs Established Homes

22:57 The Hidden Infrastructure Tax

25:35 Interest Rates, Equity, and the Smart Move InvestorsMake

28:41 Where Smart Money Is Moving Next

32:15 What Happens When Property Prices Correct?

37:07 Perth, Melbourne, Sydney — Mapping National Property Cycle

39:47 Rate Rises and Tax Uncertainty: A Perfect Storm?

43:57 Why Rents Have Nearly Tripled

46:14 The #1 Reason Most Investors Never Buy a Second Property

50:13 A 20-Year-Old's First Property Deal — And Why It Matters

53:11 The $1,000 Deposit That Turned Into $170,000

57:49 How to Prepare Before You Enter the Market

01:03:29 The Hidden Risks in New House-and-Land Contracts

01:08:50 Are Property Investors Really "Greedy"?

01:19:39 Garth's #1 Lesson From 20 Years in Property

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/ Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, atWebsite: https://nirmalsingh.au/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/

Australia is $1.05 trillion in debt, taxing you at nearly 47% — and the government wants more. Jordan Woodhams, President of the Libertarian Party of WA, joins Nirmal on Perth Dialogues to make the case for a 20% flat tax, smaller government, and why Australia's red tape is now worse than India's corruption.

They also reveal a surprising truth: once welfare transfers are included, the bottom 50% of earners pay zero net tax — so who's really footing the bill?

Join Jordan Woodhams: https://x.com/JordanWoodhams_

What we discussed:00:00 Who Is Jordan Woodhams and Why Does He Think Taxes Are Toxic?

02:38 What Does the Libertarian Party Actually Stand For?

05:15 Why Do Religions Advocate for 10% Giving?

08:02 Is Cronyism Destroying Australia's Democracy?

09:11 Can India Teach Us About Economic Freedom?

11:59 How Can We Solve the Housing Crisis?

14:41 Does Taxing More Solve Economic Problems?

17:30 Why Do Migrants Choose Australia?

18:58 Is Progressive Taxation Killing Ambition?

37:09 Capital Gains Tax: Reform or Grab?

44:35 What does 'Intergenerational Equity' actually means?

46:55 Are the Rich Paying Their Fair Share?

51:27 Are We Paying Too Much for Government Services?

57:49 Is a Flat Tax the Key to Fairness?

59:08 Australian economic grease

01:01:08 Is the Government's Budget Helping or Hurting?

01:05:11 Is Red Tape Stifling Australia's Growth?

01:07:15 How do taxes add productivity in economy?

01:11:59 Is government really supporting small businesses?

01:19:17 Is Government Waste the Real Debt Crisis?

01:21:49 Are High Taxes Really Helping Us?

01:24:11 The Burden of Payroll Tax

01:27:15 Inflation: A Hidden Tax

01:29:55 AI, Automation, and the Future of Work

01:33:35 Government Spending and Services

01:36:46 Government Waste and Accountability

01:44:45 Funding Government Services

01:48:12 A Vision for a Libertarian Future

--------------------------------------------------------------------Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇

Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/

Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube

Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic

--------------------------------------------------------------------Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, at

Website: https://nirmalsingh.au/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/

His family arrived in New Zealand from India with $1,000. His mum stitched curtains. His dad took years to find work as an engineer. By 36, PK Gupta owned a $27 million property portfolio and never has to work again. Today he tells me the whole story — the banker years, the data system, the real mistakes, and why he says if the government axed every property tax concession tomorrow, he'd actually buy more.

📌 PK Gupta is the founder of Consulting by PK and the Property Investment Accelerator — Australia's top-rated independent property education program. His community of 75,000+ members has collectively purchased over 4,000 properties across Australia.

🔗 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AusPropertyMasteryWithPK

🔗 Website: https://consultingbypk.com.au/

🔗 Facebook Group: Australian Property Mastery with PK

🔑 WHAT WE COVER00:00 Introduction to PK Gupta

01:53 Early Life and Migration Story

05:24 Professional Background

08:59 The First Step

11:20 Transition to Property Investment

15:09 Building a Property Portfolio

16:57 Property vs Shares

20:19 Lessons Learned and Mistakes Made

24:14 Current Focus and Mentorship

26:07 Mentoring

28:55 Giving Back

30:36 Changing Markets

33:50 Property Investment vs Renters

37:55 Negative Gearing

41:06 Starting Afresh

43:36 Towards Closing

--------------------------------------------------------------------Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/

Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube

Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic --------------------------------------------------------------------Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, at

Website: https://nirmalsingh.au/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/

Western Australia is a wealthy state. It also has mothers giving birth on the side of the road after being turned away from hospital. How does that happen — and who is being held accountable?In this episode, health advocate Suresh Rajan joins us to expose the systemic failures quietly costing lives in WA's public health system: ignored bypass protocols, cultural and communication barriers, a complaints process that protects institutions over patients, and a cycle of recommendations that go nowhere.Through real cases — including a young mother's traumatic roadside birth and a 21-year-old whose neglected leg injury nearly ended his future — Suresh makes the case for the reform WA urgently needs: an independent, empowered Health Ombudsman with the authority to investigate, enforce, and finally break the cycle.If you care about healthcare that works for everyone — not just the statistics — this one is essential viewing.Follow Suresh Rajan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sureshrajan1/#HealthcareReform #WesternAustralia #PatientRights #HealthPolicy #PublicHealth #HealthOmbudsman #AustralianHealthcare #SystemicChange00:00 The Health Crisis in WA12:06 Crisis & Racism in WA Health System23:06 Proposal for WA Health Ombudsman35:08 Breaking the 'Recommendation' Cycle47:15 Navigating the Maze of Health Agencies57:02 The Commonwealth Health Ombudsman01:01:58 Mediation vs Reporting in Healthcare01:08:23 Cultural Sensitivity in Healthcare01:13:30 Learning from Queensland & NSW--------------------------------------------------------------------Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/ Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic --------------------------------------------------------------------Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, atWebsite: https://nirmalsingh.au/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/

Why are record numbers of Australians abandoning the major parties for One Nation — and what does that tell us about the state of our democracy?In this episode, Simon Mohiuddin joins Perth Dialogues to share his political journey, his support for One Nation, and his views on the issues he believes mainstream politics refuses to address honestly: voter trust, national identity, migration policy, and the future of multicultural Australia.This is a frank conversation — one that challenges comfortable assumptions on all sides. Whether you agree with Simon or not, understanding why Australians hold these views is essential to understanding where our politics is heading.#AustralianPolitics #OneNation #VoterTrust #PerthDialogues #NationalIdentity #MigrationPolicy #MulticulturalAustralia #PoliticsAustralia#MinorParties #AustralianDemocracy #PaulineHanson #IntegrationDebate--------------------------------------------------------------------Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/ Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic --------------------------------------------------------------------Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, atWebsite: https://nirmalsingh.au/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/

Australia's maternity system has one of the highest caesarean rates in the developed world — yet women still feel unheard, unsafe, and unsupported. Alicia Staines, founder of the Maternity Consumer Network, joins Perth Dialogues to explain why, and what genuine reform looks like.Whether you're pregnant, a midwife, a policymaker, or simply someone who cares about how women are treated in our health system — this conversation will change how you think about birth in Australia.00:37 Introductions and Alicia's origin story02:34 The universal theme: women not being listened to04:09 Politics, activism, and accountability in maternity outcomes07:03 The big three problems08:43 Respectful maternity care and reducing birth trauma11:16 Australia's C-section rates13:17 Gaps in preconception and birth education16:15 Home birth and free birth19:38 Why C-section rates are so high22:54 Data transparency: giving women the power28:16 Rural maternity service closures32:27 Migrant women's experiences36:39 Community-based models and culturally sensitive care38:51 Midwives vs obstetric dominance45:14 Birth trauma's lasting impact48:07 Society's pressure on women52:20 Reimagining parental leave, caregiver policy, and reproductive rights54:36 Respectful maternity care as a human right65:40 What respectful care actually means72:36 Gendered gaps in medicine76:53 Why government policy is reactive81:09 How healthcare professionals and consumers can advocate together85:43 Interpreters, communication gaps, and safety risks87:13 Respectful maternity care as a feminist issue94:44 Late-term pregnancy and IVF-related terminations106:07 The ideal maternity system in 15 years108:23 How to connect with Alicia and the MCN#MaternityCare #BirthRights #RespectfulBirth #AustralianHealth #Midwifery #BirthTrauma--------------------------------------------------------------------Perth Dialogues is a platform to celebrate migrant success in Australia, bringing Australian and migrant communities closer and helping understand Australian issues.Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇Support us Here: https://perthdialogues.au/ Join on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Youtube Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/PD-Spotify Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/PD-ApplePodcasts Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/PD-AmazonMusic --------------------------------------------------------------------Follow our host, Nirmal Singh, atWebsite: https://nirmalsingh.au/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/nirmalsingh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmalsingh.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirmalsingh.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psknirmal/