Political Football

On this year-ending special of Political Football, the boys dissect the government’s newly passed IR Bill and give their take on the recent hysteria around immigration. Some common sense pahllleasseeee! In the sporting world, Boyzo and TP look ahead to a cash in summer for Australian cricket. We also look back on the top sporting moments of 2023 and cast our eyes forward to offer some bold predictions in 2024 - an Olympic year!

No surprises what this week’s episode is about. TP flies solo in a raw recount of what transpired with the Voice Referendum over the weekend.

On the long-awaited return of Political Football, TP and Boyzo hit the ground running with a grand final review special. Skimming through some of the major economic headlines since last coming to air, the boys discuss the productivity improvements we’d see if there were more Nathan Cleary clones in the workforce. Not really! But the boys do dissect whether the Prince of Penrith is the next Immortal in waiting after staging one of the great grand final performances. This and plenty more on the latest drop of Political Football!

On this episode of Political Football, the boys discuss Australia’s current industry policy. Long seen as riding off the sheep’s back and digging rocks out of the ground to generate wealth - the boys seek to answer the question of how Australia can be a country that makes things again. It’s not an overnight fix (unless we all become sheet metal workers and sparkies) but can be achieved with meaningful policy delivery that seeks to boost capital-intensive value add in ag, mining, manufacturing, energy generation and defence (just to name a few). In the sporting sphere, the boys discuss the fallout from Origin I and the implications for game II, the Tigers heartbreaking loss (code for robbery) against the Raiders and give a Rd 15 preview. Ahead of a huge European summer of cricket, the boys also give their thoughts on Australia’s voyage into the British Isles to bring the urn home (aka the death of Baz Ball).

The boys are back for their traditional pre-budget special tackling the big issues that the Treasurer will have to weigh up in delivering next week’s budget. Walking a tight rope of concurrent spending pressures across numerous portfolios and a macroeconomic environment of rising interest rates and high inflation, TP and Boyzo assess where cost-of-living relief will likely be delivered. It is a wide ranging discussion from lifting the age of the single parent payment, raising the JobSeeker rate and rent assistance alongside PBS reforms. In the sporting sphere, the boys ask ‘where were you when the Tigers beat the defending premiers?’ and drill down into a comprehensive preview of Magic Round. As always, fan questions are answered with the utmost respect!

On this episode of Political Football, we take a deep dive on the NSW election result decided on the weekend. We determine where and how the election was won and what will be the major policies to look out for with the new incoming government. In the word of sport, TP and Boyzo give their two cents on the latest chapter of ‘code wars’ that has broken out between league and union as Eddie Jones gets his man! We also discuss whether Nicho Hynes is playing himself into the six jersey alongside Nathan Cleary for the Blues and answer fan questions sent in from far and wide! Tune in.

It’s a bad day to be my LinkedIn feed but it’s a good day for the long-suffering listeners of Political Football! Why? Because rugby league is here and we’ve made it back to the table for another year of political sport. On this ep, we take a look at the state of the economy - a policy topic that has been making headlines for weeks now as the RBA tightens its belt. Inflation. Housing. Tax Reform. The boys connect the dots in an impassioned discussion! For the couch coaches out there, we give a detailed breakdown of round 1 matchups in the NRL and outline our top 8s for 2023. This one is not to be missed!

On this year-ending episode of Political Football, Boyzo and TP discuss the new IR Bill that passed through Parliament at the eleventh hour of the sitting year. What are the features of the Bill? What does it mean for wages? Both questions are answered and more in this discussion. Also, the boys call out some of the inconsistencies and misgivings that have entered the Voice to Parliament debate over the past week as discussion grows ahead of the Referendum to be held in 2023. It is much easier to tear something down, than it is to build something of substance, and that’s what the Voice to Parliament gives us, as so graciously endorsed in the Uluṟu Statement of the Heart. Within the world wide of sports, Boyzo and TP do a bit of Christmas shopping in the NRL shop window while also giving their top 5 sporting moments of 2022. There were plenty of memorable moments but let’s see how they stack up with Political Football’s multi-criteria analysis. Tune in!

On this episode of the Political Football, the boys debut the Pooley Livability Index (PLI) measuring the quality of life in each American city TP recently visited. Marrying some economic indicators with the qualitative lives experience (aka ‘the vibe of the thing’), there are some surprise listings that are sure to get listeners talking. In the wide world of sports, Boyzo is on the verge of PARRAdise as the Eels knock on the door of grand final glory. They say a week is a long time in rugba league, so 36 years must feel like an eternity. But they have the best team in the game standing in their way. Can they take down the might of the Penrith Panthers? The boys discuss this in depth as well as naming their squads for the upcoming World Cup. Tune in for all things political football!

After a stint on the sidelines, Political Football is back tackling the big issues from Capital Hill to Queensland Country Bank Stadium! Tom and Joe give their report card on the first two of the 47th Parliament and the policy issues which dominated debate. Topics include Aged care reform, paid domestic and family violence leave and the progress towards an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament. In the sporting world, Joe gives his two cents about the Sticky Ricky fiasco while Tom is teeing off at the NRL’s systemic bias towards the mighty Wests Tigers, calling for an NRL ICAC! From the trough of Tiger Town to the Gold-cladded campaign of Australia at the Commonwealth Games! For those who say the Commonwealth Games is a futile exercise, to that Political Football asserts it is a grand display of soft power for Australia’s Foreign Affairs cementing bilateral relationships across the Old Empire! Plenty that and more on this episode of Political Football!