Tensions Transplanted

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In “Episode 6- BONUS EPISODE,” hosts Rob Kaldor and Isy Oderberg reflect on the 3rd series of Tensions Transplanted by asking all the guests the same question- "When this period is written about in ten years, what will we have misunderstood?"

They are joined by Palestinian activist Hamza Howidy, Dr Hass Dellal AO, Chair of the Australian Multicultural Foundation; academic Professor Michele Grossman AM, pollster and social researcher Kos Samaras, Australian Human Rights Commission President Hugh de Kretser, Board member, creative and researcher Noe Harsel, Federal MP - Julian Leeser, award-winning journalist and academic Margaret Simons, commentator and author Van Badham and Movement Against Antizionism founder Adam Louis-Klein & educator and activist Zachary Schaffer. 

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In “How do we unf*ck It,” hosts Rob Kaldor and Isy Oderberg turn from diagnosing Australia’s deepening social fractures to asking what it will actually take to repair them. They are joined by Dr Hass Dellal AO, Chair of the Australian Multicultural Foundation; academic Professor Michele Grossman AM, pollster and social researcher Kos Samaras, educator and activist Zachary Schaffer, Board member, creative and researcher Noe Harsel,Palestinian activist Hamza Howidy, award-winning journalist and academic Margaret Simons, commentator and author Van Badham and Movement Against Antizionism founder Adam Louis-Klein. This episode explores how we can rebuild trust.

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In Episode 4 of Tensions Transplanted, Rob Kaldor and Isy Oderberg explore how political disillusionment, extremism and online disinformation are fuelling antisemitism across the political spectrum. Through interviews with pollster and social researcher Kos Samaras, activist and educator Zachary Schaffer, Professor Michele Grossman AM, author and commentator Van Badham and Movement Against Antizionism founder Adam Louis-Klein, this episode examines the rise of One Nation, the limits of horseshoe theory, the different motives behind left- and right-wing antisemitism, and the way social-media algorithms amplify emotionally charged falsehoods and how you might unknowingly be contributing.

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In episode three of Tensions Transplanted, Media, Social Media and Cancel Culture, Rob Kaldor and Isy Oderberg turn their attention to the creative spaces, news media, social media algorithms, misinformation, and the silencing effect of cancel culture. This episode features board member, creative and researcher Noe Harsel, academic Michelle Grossman AM, academic and journalist Margaret Simons, commentator and author Van Badham, Palestinian activist Hamza Howidy and Australian Human Rights Commission President Hugh de Kretser. The discussion moves from the responsibilities of journalists — including who gets to speak for a community, the difference between objectivity and false balance and the hard work of verification, to the corrosive role of social media, where outrage is rewarded and misinformation travels faster than fact. At its heart, this episode asks what kind of public sphere we are creating, who is being pushed out of it, and whether it is still possible to make room for complexity, empathy and truth in a moment defined by fear, grief and polarisation.

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In Episode Two of Tensions Transplanted, Rob Kaldor and Isy Oderberg examine the rule of law, the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, and the limits of law in confronting hate. Featuring Julian Leeser MP, former judge Ron Sackville AO KC, Australian Human Rights Commission President Hugh de Kretser, and Project Shema co-founder Zachary Schaffer, the episode explores hate speech, terrorism, coded language, Zionism, free speech, social cohesion and the difficult question of what governments, institutions and communities can do next. It is a conversation about the role of law, leadership and public language in a moment when Jewish Australians are asking not only what has gone wrong, but what meaningful repair could look like.

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After the Bondi massacre, many Australian Jews were shocked — but not necessarily surprised. In the opening episode of season three of Tensions Transplanted, Rob Kaldor and Izzy Oderberg begin with the question now facing Australian Jewish life: where to from here? Not by replaying the horror of December 14, but by asking what it exposed about safety, extremism, anti-Semitism, political rhetoric, social cohesion and who gets heard when fear takes over. Featuring terrorism expert Michelle Grossman AM, Julian Leeser MP, Project Shema founder Zachary Schaffer, social commentator and writer Van Badham and Palestinian writer and activist Hamza Howidy, this episode is a powerful primer for the season ahead: sharp, uncomfortable, deeply human and determined to move beyond slogans.

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In Episode 5 of Tensions Transplanted, Rob Kaldor sits down with Jewish MPs Julian Leeser (Liberal, Berowra) and Josh Burns (Labor, Macnamara) to explore how their Jewish identity has influenced their political careers — and how they each envision Australia's future post the 2025 federal election.  

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In Episode 4 of Tensions Transplanted, Rob Kaldor explores how The Muslim Vote could influence the upcoming federal election. He’s joined by Dr Josh Roose from Deakin University to unpack key marginal electorates, the rising political engagement among Muslim Australians, and the emerging — and sometimes uneasy — alliances with the Greens. Together, they consider how the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict is shaping political discourse in the lead-up to election day.

📖 Read Dr Josh Roose’s articles and more election coverage.

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In Episode 3 of Tensions Transplanted, Rob Kaldor takes a close look at the federal election campaigns unfolding in Goldstein, Macnamara, and Wentworth — the three electorates with Australia’s largest Jewish populations. He’s joined by author Julie Szego, journalist Michael Visontay, and Jewish Independent editor Deborah Stone to unpack how October 7 and the rise in antisemitism are shaping campaign strategies, shifting voter sentiment, and influencing the political outlook in these pivotal seats.

📖 Read Julie Szego’s articles 

📖 Read Michael Visontay’s articles 

📖 Read Deborah Stone’s articles and more election coverage.

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In Episode 2 of Tensions Transplanted, Rob Kaldor speaks with Deborah Stone from The Jewish Independent about the collapse of bipartisan consensus on foreign policy and the growing political divide over antisemitism.

📖 Read Deborah Stone’s articles and more election coverage.

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