Socially Democratic

Socially Democratic goes live at the 50th ALP National Conference Fringe in Adelaide for a special panel on one of the Labor Party's most important and least discussed challenges: how do we grow our membership, and how do we keep people once they join?

Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by Todd Pinkerton, Director of Campaigns and Strategy at Unions NSW; Bisma Asif, Member for Sandgate in the Queensland Parliament; and Hannah MacLeod, Executive Director SA/NT at the McKell Institute.

They cover:

🧩 Why there's no coordinated national strategy for Labor Party recruitment, and what that costs us

💸 Potential structural issues like the price of joining and the waiting list problem

📉 The Corbyn cautionary tale: when half a million people joined UK Labour and almost none of them did anything

🍺 Politics in the pub, gazebos, and Labor merch: what's actually working on the ground

🗳️ What Bisma learned from doorknocking for eight months

🤝 The missing middle. Who's recruiting the people who aren't at uni and aren't retired?

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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 

Australian Labor politics podcast Socially Democratic goes live at the 50th ALP National Conference in Adelaide.

Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by David Feeney and Jessie McCrone for a wide-ranging night of conference trivia, half-year report cards, and hot takes.

They cover:

🏛️ Conference democracy. Has expanding the ALP National Conference to 400 delegates made it more powerful or less?

🌟 South Australia's golden era. Penny Wong, Don Farrell, Mark Butler, Peter Malinauskas, and why the SA branch is punching well above its weight

Plus,

📊 Half-year report cards. 

🍺 Conference trivia. 

🏆 Who won the month.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

#AustralianPoliticsPodcast #AusPol #AustralianPolitics #LaborParty #ALP #AustralianLabor #ProgressivePolitics #SocialDemocracy #Podcast #CurrentAffairs #ALPNationalConference #Adelaide #SouthAustralia #PennyWong #DonFarrell #MarkButler #PeterMalinauskas #AnthonyAlbanese #OneNation #PaulineHanson #Greens #Teals #LiberalParty #AngusT aylor #AndyBurnham #TobaccoPolicy #DavidFeeney #JessieMcCrone #FeeneyFiles #HousingPolicy #Elections

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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 

Australian Labor politics podcast Socially Democratic is back with a snap episode. Victoria has a new Premier.

On Monday and Tuesday, in a matter of 48 hours, Jacinta Allan was replaced by Ben Carroll, who is now the 50th Premier of Victoria.

Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by two people who know Victorian Labor politics from the inside: former Victorian State Secretary and MP David Feeney, and former Chief of Staff to the Daniel Andrews - Lissie Ratcliff.

They unpack:

🏛️ The plot. Sunday night's factional conveners meeting, Monday's delegation, the cabinet meeting, the leaked briefing note, and Tuesday's caucus showdown

🧵 Why Jacinta Allan's Premiership came to a head: the construction industry scandal, the Canberra disease infecting Spring Street, and a decentralised cabinet

🗳️ The deputy leadership ballot: Gabriel Williams needing right faction votes, and what it means for the left's internal split

🔧 What Ben Carroll has to do in the next 130 days before the election: staffing, reshuffling, pivoting to campaign mode, and setting a new agenda

⚖️ The defensive grid vs the proactive agenda: integrity, community and safety, and economics

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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 

This episode of Socially Democratic is a special two-parter recorded on the eve of the ALP National Conference in Adelaide.

Part one: pollster John Armitage from Qdos Research joins Stephen for a mid-year federal check-in. One Nation is at 30% in Newspoll. The Liberals have collapsed to 19%. And the swing is coming from women.

Part two: Priya Brown from GRA Partners breaks down the Secret Harbour by-election in WA: a long winter campaign in a mortgage-belt seat that One Nation has firmly in its sights.

📊 One Nation at 30%: what it means on two-party preferred, and why the vote is still soft

🏛️ Why the Liberals going One Nation-lite is electoral suicide

🧭 Competent vs caring: how voters see Albanese, Taylor, and Hanson

👩 Why Labor is losing women to One Nation, and how to get them back

🗺️ Secret Harbour: demographics, redrawn boundaries, and One Nation's perfect test seat

🏆 Why Labor's campaign machine gives them the edge in a long winter by-election

Don't miss this ep.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

#AustralianPoliticsPodcast #AusPol #AustralianPolitics #LaborParty #ALP #AustralianLabor #ProgressivePolitics #SocialDemocracy #Podcast #CurrentAffairs #OneNation #PaulineHanson #Polling #Newspoll #JohnArmitage #KudosResearch #SecretHarbour #WesternAustralia #WAPolitics #PriyaPatelBrown #WomenVoters #MortgageBelt #FIFOWorkers #LiberalParty #AngusT aylor #AnthonyAlbanese #Elections #Campaigns #Strategy #Coalition

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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 back with the July Mailbag, and we're here to answer your questions on AI regulation, nationalising critical infrastructure, and whether Victorians should be nervous about the state election.

Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by former Chief of Staff to Daniel Andrews and Managing Partner at FMRS Advisory Lissie Ratcliff, and the Director of Campaigns and Strategy at Unions NSW, Todd Pinkerton.

They cover:

🤖 Albanese's big AI speech. Is it a fundamental shift in the government's position, or just a step in the right direction?

🏭 The recent Telstra outage prompts the question: Should Labor nationalise critical infrastructure?

🏠 Victoria's housing story: why Labor governments need to get off the fence and just say they want house prices to come down

🗳️ The Victorian Election: With One Nation polling at 27%, and Liberal support collapsing, should Labor be worried?

👀 Plus: the watch (and read and listen) list. Top recommendations from Todd, Lissie, and Stephen.

Mentioned in the Show:

Socially Democratic: Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone LIVE!

Friday July 24, 5:15pm
The Jade
142-160 Flinders Street
Adelaide, SA 5000

Purchase tickets: https://bit.ly/4w0M6AI

Send a Woman to Washington! A full ride to the 2026 Dunn Street United States Engagement Mission. Applications close July 31.
Apply here: https://bit.ly/4aRSO3l

Graham Greene's Our Man in Havana: https://bit.ly/4ppNydk
and The Quiet American: https://bit.ly/3RkWqEr

The Fourth Estate: In Conversation with Barrie Cassidy

Part 1: https://apple.co/4aZa2vM

Part 2: https://apple.co/4bragMe

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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 goes live at the New South Wales Labor State Conference Fringe for a special episode recorded in front of a live audience at Sydney Town Hall.

Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by regular guest and Unions NSW Director of Campaigns and Strategy Todd Pinkerton, Federal Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes, and ALP National Assistant Secretary Rosie Ryan.

They cover:

🏛️ What makes the NSW Labor Conference unlike any other political event in Australia

🗳️ How the McKell Model keeps Labor's three pillars (rank and file, parliamentary party, and unions) working together

⚖️ Managing dissent and coming out united: why Labor has kept the show together for 150 years

🎤 Chris Minns' keynote: jobs, manufacturing, multiculturalism, and what it signals for 2026

📊 One Nation: what's driving the surge and how Labor speaks to voters who feel left behind

🎉 Plus special categories and conference trivia!

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

#AustralianPoliticsPodcast #AusPol #AustralianPolitics #LaborParty #ALP #AustralianLabor #ProgressivePolitics #SocialDemocracy #Podcast #CurrentAffairs #NSWLaborConference #NSWLabor #ChrisMinns #NSWElection2026 #OneNation #PaulineHanson #AlisonByrnes #RosieRyan #ToddPinkerton #McKellModel #TradeUnions #UnionsNSW #Elections #Campaigns #Strategy #Manufacturing #Multiculturalism #Liberals #Coalition

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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 

Apologies to our listeners for the technical difficulties this week. 

Socially Democratic heads to Victorian Trades Hall for a special episode with two of the most important figures in the Victorian trade union movement.

Luke Hilakari, Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, and Wil Stracke, Assistant Secretary, join host Stephen Donnelly to talk organising, digital campaigning, the rise of One Nation, and what happens to working people when AI reshapes the economy.

This is a rare inside look at how Trades Hall went from a place that passed resolutions to one of the most sophisticated campaigning operations in the country.

Plus:

🏛️ How Luke and Wil rebuilt Trades Hall from the ground up, and the internal resistance they had to overcome

📱 Wil's accidental TikTok and Instagram career, started by a single tweet about Grace Tame.

📋 The NDA campaign: how Trades Hall helped win world-leading legislation on non-disclosure agreements in sexual harassment cases

🤖 AI and the future of work: What happens when cognitive labour disappears? What are the implications for employee surveillance?

📊 What focus group findings from former Labor voters tell us about the rise of One Nation

💪 How community organising and solidarity are the real antidote to the far right

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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 

This episode of Socially Democratic covers a massive month in Australian politics: One Nation's rise, Pauline at the National Press Club, and a Victorian Labor leadership non-challenge that fizzled before it started.

David Feeney is back on the Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone and host Stephen Donnelly.

They cover:

💰 $4 million in 48 hours? One Nation's digital fundraising machine and what it signals.

🎤 Pauline at the Press Club: What she got right, what she got wrong, and the GetUp stunt.

🏛️ The Victorian leadership non-challenge: Why it fizzled and what it means for November.

📣 Luke Hilakari's email: poor form or exactly what needed to be said?

🎯 Stephen's hot take: Victorian Labor currently looks like the Liberal Party.

📰 Plus all your nominations, unanswerable questions, Social Democrat of the Month, and who won the month

Don't miss this ep.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Send a Woman to Washington Application: https://www.dunnstreet.com.au/usem-application

Socially Democratic: Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone LIVE!

Friday July 24, 5:15pm
The Jade
142-160 Flinders Street
Adelaide, SA 5000

Purchase tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/socially-democratic-feeney-files-with-jessie-mccrone-live-at-the-jade-tickets-1992186741171

Socially Democratic LIVE! at the NSW Labor State Conference

Saturday July 5th at 4pm
Sydney Town Hall

Register as an observer: https://www.nswlabor.org.au/register_interest_conference26


#AustralianPoliticsPodcast #AusPol #AustralianPolitics #LaborParty #ALP #AustralianLabor #ProgressivePolitics #SocialDemocracy #Podcast #CurrentAffairs #Elections #Campaigns #Strategy #OneNation #PaulineHanson #VictorianLabor #JacintaAllen #VictorianElection #DavidFeeney #JessieMcCrone #LukeHilakari #AndyBurnham #Makerfield #GetUp #NationalPressClub #FeeneyFiles #ToryWithATypewriter #UnanswerableQuestions #WhoWonTheMonth #FeeneysFilibuster #Greens #Liberals #Coalition #Insiders #SocialDemocrat

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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 

Host Stephen Donnelly sits down with NSW ALP General Secretary Dom Ofner ahead of the NSW Labor Conference, July 4–5 at Sydney Town Hall.

They cover:

🏛️ Why the NSW Conference is unlike any other political event in Australia, and why it has to be at Town Hall

📜 The McKell Model: how NSW Labor keeps government and party in balance

🎯 Safe seats aren't safe anymore. Rethinking the target seat strategy in five-party politics

🤖 NSW's nation-leading reforms on AI-generated campaign content

📅 What this conference sets up as the last one before March 2027

Plus:

Socially Democratic is LIVE at the Conference Fringe on

Saturday July 5th at 4pm

Sydney Town Hall!

First in, best dressed.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

#Australianpolitics, #progressivepolitics, #AustralianLabor, #SocialDemocracy, #AusPol, #LaborParty, #Podcast, #ALP, #Campaigns, #Elections, #Strategy, #Insiders, #Liberals, #Coalition, #ExpertGuests, #Housing, #Infrastructure, #Policy, #Inclusion, #Employment, #NSWLabor, #NSWConference, #StateConference, #DomOfner, #NSWPolitics, #OneNation, #ChrisMinns, #NSWElection, #SydneyTownHall, #LaborConference, #ALPConference, #CampaignStrategy, #AIElections

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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 

This episode of Socially Democratic is the June Mailbag. Todd Pinkerton and Lissie Ratcliff answer your questions on AI, the budget, progressive media, and the future of cheap beer.

🤖 Is Labor seriously game-planning for an AI-driven jobs crisis? 

🏠 A month on from the budget, has it landed with people, and why is One Nation still rising? 

📱 Does Labor need its own media ecosystem, or do we already have one? 

📺 Why authentic, unpolished content beats polished TV ads every time, and why we still can't let go 

📖 The watch list: Tony Blair's big essay, anger and social media, and FIFA's relationship with Trump 

🍺 Should the Labor movement just buy a brewery?

DON’T MISS Socially Democratic LIVE at the New South Wales Labor Conference:

July 4,
4pm
Sydney Town Hall
(https://www.nswlabor.org.au/register_interest_conference26)

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Tony Blair’s Essay (https://tr.ee/fK8o71)

‘Angertainment’ by Ed Coper (https://tr.ee/DxQSu2)

A Yearslong Effort to Woo Trump Culminates With the World Cup - NYT (https://tr.ee/nUx2oq)

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

Support the show

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.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

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