Happy New Year Social Democrats! This week, Stephen and resident pop culture expert Tess Farrell discuss the Netflix political thriller, 'The Diplomat'.

Stay tuned for some non-political recommendations for what to watch and read in 2026.

Mentioned in the show:

'The Diplomat' starring Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell, created by Deborah Cahn.
'Always' by Bon Jovi https://tr.ee/6FZwx1

#podcast #popculture #politics #TheDiplomat #KeriRussell #RufusSewell #AllisonJanney

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Another year in The Garden State has come to an end.

In keeping with tradition, Minister Harriet Shing is here to help us review the past 12 months.

💜Drawing from her own family’s experiences, Harriet brings warmth and clarity to the fight against hate speech, and stresses the need to create a society where all people are safe in their identities.

Plus:

🛣️Victoria’s massive year of road and rail - how has life changed for commuters, and what’s still to come?

✍🏽The First Nations Treaty - what does it really mean, and can the Tories still take it away?

🗳️The Victorian State election - One year out, what key issues and major challenges will Vic Labor face?

All this and more. Including donkeys! 🫏😯

#vicpol #Victoria #State #Politics #JacintaAllan #Housing #suburbanrailloop #SRL #WestGateTunnel #metrotunnel #housing #Treaty #FirstNations #VicElection #HarrietShing #donkeys

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The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au

Socially Democratic is an opinion-based political and campaign podcast that facilitates discussion on a range of topical issues. The opinions of guests are not an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff at Dunn Street and Socially Democratic.

--

After the horrific events at Bondi Beach, it’s time for the Left to reflect. ​ How can we be better allies to the Jewish community and fight anti-Semitism?

First Stephen, Jessie, and David break down the event, including the response from police, ASIO, Labor and community leaders.

Then they move to a broader discussion about Labor's historic relationship with the Jewish community, the rise of anti-Semitism in Australia, and critical reflections on how the Australian Left can reckon with their failings.

Sections:

00:00 Reflections on the Attack

25:05 Broader Discussion about the Left and Anti-Semitism

#AntiSemitism #StandAgainstHate #BondiBeach #Jewish #Australians #terrorism

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Viktor Orbán, Hungary
Netherlands, the PVV
Sanae Takaichi, 
Japan and the LDP

Canada is quoting Reagan
UK Labour’s badly shaken
Germany. AFD.
What’s wrong with democracy?

We didn’t start the fire, 
But Katie’s here, she’s going to make it clear
We didn’t start the fire,
But our episode will help you carry the load

Romania - a little win
Proto-fascists back again
U.S. shut down, long delays
But Trump sends money to Milei

We didn’t start the fire. 
But we’ve got Parsons,
And we know it’s arson.

We didn’t start the fire,
But we can talk and learn,
To help control the burn 
The burn the burn the burn [fade out]

#Hungary #ViktorOrban #Netherlands #PVV #UK #KeirStarmer #UKPolitics #USPolitics #EU #AFD #Germany #Romania #Milei #Argentina #ShutDown #Trump #Japan #SanaeTakaichi #internationalpolitics #Canada #MarkCarney #farright #left #socialdemocrats #democracy #podcast #politics

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Sean Kelly started with a basic question: What does Labor believe?

Drawing on his experience as a former press secretary for both Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, and over a decade covering politics, he pursues the question through the lens of our not so-distant-past - from the Cold War to Whitlam, from Hawke and Keating to Rudd and Gillard.

The result is a brilliant essay which reflects on the struggles, feats and failures of the current Albanese government - placing it within the broader struggle of all centre-left parties: between belief and action, idealism and pragmatism, the 'right' thing and the achievable thing.

Sean comes on the show to discuss it with Stephen.

A must-listen and a must-read to all who are interested in fighting the good fight.

✍️ Mentioned in the episode:

Quarterly Essay 100: 'The Good Fight: What Does Labor Stand For?' by Sean Kelly
https://bit.ly/4rzVkC3

The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison by Sean Kelly
https://bit.ly/48gYbYW

#podcast #quarterlyessay #thegoodfight #seankelly #ALP #Labor #Albanese #Gillard #Rudd #Hawke #Keating #socialism #idealism #pragmatism #politics

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Seven months post-election, Federal Labor is still going strong, while the Liberals seem hopelessly mired in conflict.

🤔 Sussan Ley’s decision to dump net zero targets aren’t doing them any favours with suburban voters. And, Labor is polling better than the Libs in 9 out of 10 policy areas, including the economy. 

💅 But is the ALP getting too comfortable? 

🥁At a state level, the new Victorian Liberal leader Jess Wilson is getting a lot of fanfare. Is she the great Millennial hope that the Tories have been asking for? Well, she is a Millennial.

🫠UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer wins the In Over My Head Award, thanks to a listener nomination. Could this be the last ever UK Labour Government? 

🧑‍🦰Stephen invents a new award just for Pauline Hanson. We pour one out for the all poor Australian white nationalists who haven’t got a captain, a rudder, or even a boat. 

Mentioned in the show: https://australianelectionstudy.org/

#ALP #Labor #Labour #UK #Wales #Frace #auspol #victoria #vicpol #election #Liberals #JessWilson #KeirStarmer #KellySloan #PaulineHanson #podcast #NetZero #politics #JacintaAllan #Albanese #Childcare #budget #theeconomy

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This week, Lissie Ratcliff and Todd Pinkerton are back to answer more questions from Patreon. If you’re not a Patreon member, not to worry - this episode is for everyone. 

In this conversation:

❓With flagging party membership across both the Liberals and the ALP, we ask: do these numbers really matter?

🤔What are the greatest threats and opportunities for the Victorian Labor Party in the 2026 State Election?

👉Victorian Liberals rolled their leader Brad Batten and elected Jess Wilson. Does she have any hope of reviving the party?

💡And the Federal Opposition has axed their commitment to net zero targets, citing rising energy prices. Will this resonate with the Australian public?

Tune in to find out. 

If you would like to join our Patreon and ask your own questions, you can do that here: 

patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

#auspol #victoria #victorianelection #netzero #liberals #leadership #NSW #unions #partymembership #ALP #JessWilson #statepolitics #climatechange

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The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au

"You wouldn't know the half of it."

🍔  What happens when McDonald's - a corporate behemoth so vast, so rich, so omnipresent that its logo is synonymous with globalisation and capitalism - is asked to compensate hourly workers for unpaid wages?

It screams.

That's where the SDA (Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association) - the union for fast food workers steps in. 

For years, they have been pursuing dozens of lawsuits against the fast food titan for a number of abuses, including: 

❌ Asking managers to take on unpaid duties (but they get a free frappé!)

❌ Denying workers legally-mandated paid breaks (but they get a soft drink!)

❌ Targeting employees for being union members

❌ Refusing to enter into negotiations under a union enterprise bargaining agreement

Josh Peak, Secretary of the SA and NT branch, shares the journey so far, including the incredible persistence of SDA members, the damning stories uncovered by the union, and McDonald's perplexing refusal to set things right.

#McDonalds #SDA #union #organise #fight #workersrights #Labor #labour #payandconditions #lawsuit #fastfood #retailworkers #bargaining #negotiating #podcast #PeterMalinauskas

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⚡ Don't miss your chance to watch 'How to Capture a Prime Minister' online - Nov 11th only at howtocaptureapm.com⚡

⌛ 11 November 2025, is the 50th anniversary of Governor-General Sir John Kerr's historic dismissal of Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.

👑 This remains the only time in Australian history that a democratically elected Prime Minister was dismissed by a representative of the Crown - sparking wild unrest across the nation but the eventual election of the Fraser Liberal government.

✊ Less than 12 months into the new government, Malcolm Fraser - who continued to be a political lightning-rod for the left, found himself trapped in the basement of Monash University, alongside his sparse security detail who were frightened for his life.

🎥 In this very special episode, Filmmaker Gary Newman @howtocaptureapm joins us to discuss his documentary 'How to Capture a Prime Minister', which centres on that moment and includes reflections from the people who were there.

Offical Trailer: 

https://vimeo.com/788096733?fl=pl&fe=sh

Democracy after the Dismissal
Sunday 23 November 2025, 12:30pm-3:30pm
Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Melbourne
Places are strictly limited
Visit 

events.humanitix.com/democracy-after-the-dismissal

Watch on TV using Chromecast or Airplay, or on a device
Available on 11 November 2025 for a short time only.
Visit howtocaptureapm.com for access

#goughwhitlam #malcolmfraser #governorgeneral #thedismissal #auspol #protest #50thanniversary #history #film #documentary #podcast #politics

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Happy Halloween! 🎃🎃🎃

Stephen, Jessie, and David gather around the campfire to discuss the spookiest stories of the month, including:

🤝Albanese’s meeting with Trump and the run-in with Rudd.

🗽Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral run in New York City. 

📵Anika Wells’s response to Optus outage. 

And more! Listen if you dare. 👻

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The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au