Represent

This episode of Represent National is a big one!

History-making City of Maribyrnong Mayor Mohamed Semra joins the team for part one of an interview about leadership, local government, being elected as an independent, representing your communities and making tough decisions you can live with. Mohamed came to Australia as a refugee from Sudan as a child and was elected Mayor at just 27 years old, and talks us through his fresh perspectives on local politics. 

And a new (Re)presenter has entered the ring: 
Fatima comes aboard to make this the biggest and best Represent National team yet. 

We also chat about the government's most recent Intergenerational Report, looking at the state of ageing, birth rates, housing and affordability, with one key question in mind: are young people doomed?!

Finally, we chat about the federal opposition's education policy announcements, which include encouraging ex-defence force members to become teachers to crack down on discipline and behavioural issues in schools... interesting. 

Represent is a Syn Media podcast. 

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The 18th BRICS summit was held in New Delhi, India and again has raised questions about the balance of geopolitical powers. Is BRICS the G7 of the Global South? Is it just an symptom of an increasingly multi-polar world?

Women in South-Africa have taken to the streets to rally against gender-based violence and fe micide (GBVF) after the bodies of nine women were found in Johannesburg over the past two months. GBVF was declared a national disaster in South Africa just under a year ago but how much has changed since? And should Australia also declare a similar disaster?

And you may not have heard but legislative elections were held in Russia over the weekend. You probably didn't hear about it because it went exactly as you think it did. Sometimes no news is bad news.

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Germany's far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany) has won a landslide election in the Saxony-Anhalt state election coming just short of forming government.

If they do manage to form government, it will be the first time a far-right party governs a German state since... uhh... you know,,, the Nazis. And who said history doesn't repeat itself?

Back home, Australia is being accused of foreign interference after texts were leaked between them and Solomon Islands leadership about a new treaty.

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This week on Represent National, Ashley, Benita and Zoe talk about the Liberal and National Parties' leaders comments about 'anti-boy' ideology being taught in schools (???) and Respectful Relationships education. 

They also look at huge, high-voltage concrete power poles that have popped up in Melbourne's inner west to power data centres, which locals say they were not consulted over nor warned about. The team discusses issues around data centre location, whether Labor is neglecting the West as 'safe seats', and a whole lot of avoiding accountability. 

Finally, the team has a chat about the government's proposed social media algorithm 'opt-out' measures, and how aggressive algorithm targeting has changed the user experience. 

Represent is a Syn Media podcast. 

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No way, Norway has royal family? And the king is dead? And his family's kind of weird? And the monarchy is desperately trying maintain relevance in the modern world? Oh, so a tale as old as time.

Pacific leaders try to get literally any work done in Palau while external forces keep getting in the way.

And New York makes their attempt at answering the whole AI in schools thing.

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This week on Represent National, Ashley, Benita and Zoe sat down with Pamela Anderson, the CEO of EMILYs List Australia, to talk about women in politics, reproductive rights, the Liberal Party's glaring gender issue and whether the Labor Party is a viable avenue for progressive politics anymore. 

We also talked about the federal Labor government teaming up with the LNP to pass changes (see: cuts) to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, despite advocates, participants, experts and even the Australian Human Rights Commission urging the government to withdraw the bill. 

Finally, we discussed Pauline Hanson's appearance at the Farmers Fightback rally in the Wimmera region of Victoria, and the strategic benefits of winning over farmers and rural Victorians ahead of the state election. 

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Notoriously polite Canada has said "no more Mr Nice Guy" by firing back at the US with retaliatory tariffs in a heated trade war.

Should Ukraine hold a wartime presidential election? Well, sacked defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov seems to think so. And no, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that he's ranking #3 in the election polls.

The Canadian province of Alberta might soon take their oil rich land and run, as the referendum approaches which is predicted to ignite debate about their independence from Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Is it too good to be true?! 

In this week's Represent National show, Ashley, Benita and Nayan take a look at the Victorian Government's election promise to create 10 free dental clinics in Victoria, and relive the dental woes of Christmas past. 

The team also looks at shocking revelations from a Four Corners investigation reporting thousands of older Australians have died while waiting for aged care funding - who would've thought putting the computers in charge of life-changing care funding could be a bad idea?!

And according to the state Auditor-General’s Office, the Victorian Government hiked public transport fares from last year to fund part of the Suburban Rail Loop, and didn't let the public know! Fun!

Want to listen to Represent National live? Tune to 90.7 FM or listen online at www.syn.org.au every Wednesday from 4-5pm!

Represent is a Syn Media podcast. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eurovision won't let winning countries involved in active armed conflict host the competition in another move from the famously political singing competition that is strictly apolitical.

Presumably preparing for the possibility that they enter and win one day, South Korea is calling for a new push to formally end the Korean War.

Because we all know if they were ever allowed to compete in Eurovision, South Korea would absolutely SWEEP.

And in their strongest worded letter so far, Australia expressed outrage at the IDF’s announcement they would not pursue criminal investigations into the strikes that killed seven humanitarian aid workers including Australian citizen, Zomi Frankcom.

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This week on Represent National, we're tackling some big questions, starting with whether we should abandon the British monarchy and become a republic or not. Australia voted against ditching the Mountbatten-Windsors in 1999, and now it's dividing the Represent team in 2026.  

We also talk about One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce proclaiming his party to be "one of the gayest" in Australia, after a former One Nation candidate described being gay as a "mental illness". What is One Nation's stance on homophobia, or really, on anything? We're not so sure they know. 

Finally, we look at new national minimum standards for food delivery drivers, meaning they will have to be paid at least $31.30 per hour for "engaged time". But what does that mean exactly, and can we expect prices to go up for consumers? All that and more in this episode. 

Represent is a Syn Media podcast. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.