In this episode, historian and Telegraph columnist Simon Heffer joins CIS Executive Director Tom Switzer to discuss the rising conservative momentum across democracies like the US, Italy, Germany, and Australia.

After years of dominance by progressive ideas on identity politics, diversity, and historical revisionism, political winds appear to be shifting. Voters in countries like New Zealand and Australia are rejecting policies rooted in identity politics, while centre-right and populist movements grow stronger across Europe.

Heffer examines whether we’ve passed "peak woke," how cultural guilt and censorship threaten democratic debate, and what lessons Australia can learn from Britain’s recent political experience. He argues that restoring free speech, rejecting identity politics, and embracing shared democratic values are key to the West’s future.

What’s driving the backlash against progressive politics in the West? Is the cultural tide turning? Is this the beginning of a cultural and political renewal?

In this episode, CIS executive director Tom Switzer sits down with researchers Simon Cowan and Emilie Dye to explore the rising backlash against corporate social activism in Australia.

Drawing on findings from their new report Business Means Business, Cowan and Dye reveal what Australians really think about ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives. Their exclusive polling shows that most consumers, employees, and even younger Australians want companies to focus on service and profit—not politics. From corporate support of The Voice referendum to Australia Day controversies, they highlight how big brands risk alienating the public and undermining trust.

With global case studies like Bud Light and Chick-fil-A, this conversation questions whether “woke capitalism” is sustainable and exposes consequences of value-driven branding and political posturing. A sharp, evidence-based critique of business orthodoxy—and a timely call for corporate neutrality.

As strategic competition intensifies in the Indo-Pacific, Australia is being forced to rethink long-held assumptions about its alliance with the United States.

In this panel hosted by the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS), three experts—Doug Abdiel, Lt Col in the US Marine Corps; Sam Roggeveen, Director of the International Security Program at the Lowy Institute; and Aidan Morrison, Director of Energy and Defence at CIS—debate what Australia’s defence future should look like in a rapidly changing world.

Is Australia relying too much on the U.S. for its defence?

Are we spending too much on submarines and neglecting other critical needs?

Could U.S.-style weapons drag us into wars we don’t want to fight?

Are we building the right kind of defence force to protect Australia—not just to support the U.S.?

In this episode, mining entrepreneur and libertarian thinker Ron Manners AO shares his impatient vision for defending Western civilization and free market principles.

As founder of the Mannkal Foundation and author of "The Impatient Libertarian," Manners reflects on the five influential mentors who shaped his philosophical outlook, including economist Frederick Hayek. He discusses the strategic balance between ideas and action that has defined his entrepreneurial success over decades.

Identifying as "an impatient libertarian," Manners delivers an assessment of government overreach, regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship, and the cultural shifts threatening civil society. He shares remarkable personal anecdotes from his relationships with philosophical leaders while making a passionate case for libertarian principles in modern Australia. His firsthand experiences provide rare insight into whether free market advocates can overcome what he sees as a growing hostility toward industry and individual liberty.

As the global demand for clean and reliable energy grows, nuclear power is being reconsidered as a crucial part of the solution. What can Australia learn from Canada’s decades-long experience with nuclear energy?

In this discussion hosted by the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS), Director of Energy Research Aidan Morrison is joined by Tracy Primeau, board member of Ontario Power Generation and former nuclear operator, to explore Canada’s successful transition from coal and the revival of its nuclear sector.

Together, Primeau and Morrison tackle vital questions about the future of the energy industry in Australia:

What can Australia learn from Canada’s pragmatic approach to nuclear power?

How can decarbonisation and energy security go hand-in-hand?

Is political will or public opinion the real barrier to nuclear adoption? How can we challenge misinformation and build a more rational energy debate?

With a-to-z industry experience and a powerful personal story, Primeau shares valuable insights into how nuclear power can drive both economic opportunity and environmental progress. Could Australia follow a similar path?

In this conversation, former Miss World Canada and human rights advocate Anastasia Lin delivers a stark warning about China's strategic ambitions and what they mean for Australia's future. Drawing from her thirteen years of experience growing up in communist China, where she was once tasked with indoctrinating fellow students, Lin offers an insider's perspective on the Chinese Communist Party's worldview.

Lin articulates how initiatives like Belt and Road and Made in China 2025 are not merely economic programs but components of a carefully orchestrated strategy to achieve global dominance. She challenges the prevailing narrative that Australia must choose between economic prosperity and democratic values, arguing that the country's dependency on a one-party authoritarian state represents a dangerous vulnerability rather than a pragmatic necessity.

Particularly disturbing is her account of China's forced labour camps, where political and religious prisoners produce goods that undercut Western manufacturing. Lin explains how this system, combined with intellectual property theft and predatory investment practices, has enabled China to hollow out Western industrial capacity while extending its influence globally.

In this address, human rights activist and author Ayaan Hirsi Ali confronts the most pressing dilemmas facing liberal societies today. Drawing from her unique personal journey and deep understanding of Islamic ideology, Hirsi Ali offers a framework for distinguishing between what she terms "Medina Muslims" dedicated to establishing a caliphate, the majority of Muslims simply living their lives, and Muslim reformers actively working to reconcile their faith with modern values.

Through three revealing stories, Turkish President Erdogan's ambitions of conquest, Australian jihadists attempting to reach Syria, and the dangerous accusations of apostasy levelled by Islamist organisations. Hirsi Ali illustrates the challenges liberal democracies face when balancing freedom with security. She argues that our greatest vulnerability lies not in external threats, but in our own moral relativism and self-censorship.

Hirsi Ali rejects the conflation of criticising ideas with racism, warning that political correctness has created a dangerous vacuum that jihadists eagerly exploit. She makes the case that liberal societies must reclaim their commitment to individual rights over collective identities, and fearlessly defend freedom of speech even when uncomfortable.

In this episode, former Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock discusses the state of Australian politics from his perspective as the nation's second-longest serving parliamentarian.

After 43 years in federal politics, Ruddock examines the Liberal Party's decline in membership and growing factional divisions. He analyses the teal independent phenomenon, current immigration challenges, and Australia's energy future. Identifying as "a liberal, not a conservative," Ruddock offers candid assessments of political leadership and makes a surprising prediction about the upcoming federal election. His firsthand account provides rare insight into whether Peter Dutton can lead the Liberals back to government.

In this conversation, CIS education program Director Glenn Fahey speaks with Russian-born British satirist and podcaster Konstantin Kisin about the cultural challenges facing Western democracies today.

The discussion explores challenging topics including the fracturing trust in democratic institutions, the sustainability of multiculturalism, the rise of identity politics, and the intergenerational inequality facing young people. Kisin offers a sobering analysis of why Western societies are increasingly self-critical despite unprecedented prosperity, describing our current state as a "cargo cult" that imitates rather than practises the values that made us successful.

"This is a civilisational moment. You're not going to sit this one out." For anyone concerned about cultural direction, free speech, and the future of democratic societies, this conversation provides perspectives on the personal responsibility we each have in shaping our common future.

In this episode, Russian-born British satirist and author Konstantin Kisin delivers a defence of Western civilisation and the cultural values that have made it uniquely successful. Drawing from his personal experience growing up in the Soviet Union, Kisin articulates why millions risk their lives to immigrate to Western nations like Australia, Britain and America.

With wit and clarity, Kisin dissects the fundamental pillars that have enabled Western prosperity: government by consent, freedom of expression, and a unique incentive structure that rewards innovation rather than compliance. He challenges the politically correct narrative that downplays Western achievement, arguing that we've become a "cargo cult" society, imitating rather than practising the values that made us successful.

As Western nations grapple with cultural self-doubt, Kisin makes a compelling case for why understanding and preserving our cultural heritage matters. He argues that we've failed to articulate these values to younger generations, instead focusing solely on historical wrongdoings without proper context or comparison.

Whether you're concerned about cultural direction or curious about what makes Western societies distinctive, this episode offers an honest perspective from someone who has experienced both worlds and concluded that the West is best.