The Fifth Estate

Was WWI the beginning of globalisation, or simply a precursor to a second global conflict that changed the face of the planet? Christopher Clark and Joan Beaumont explore the origins and impacts of WWI, and question what historical lessons we have learned.

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Two years ago, for a small window of time, Australia had a female prime minister, attorney-general, governor-general, finance minister and four other senior ministers. Today there is just one woman in the federal cabinet – foreign minister Julie Bishop – and when she is away, there are none.

How is this possible in a modern representative democracy? What did we learn about the treatment of women in Australian public life from the rise and fall of Julia Gillard? And what is the personal cost for women in politics?

To discuss Julia Gillard’s time as prime minister, and to look more broadly at women with power in politics and public life, Fifth Estate host Sally Warhaft is joined by two formidable guests, Gold Walkley Award-winning journalist and former state government minister Mary Delahunty, author of the newly released Gravity: Inside the PM’s office during her last year and final days, and bestselling author and journalist Anne Summers AO.

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Australians have always loved a punt – on the horses, card games, two up or the lotto – but in recent decades the prolific increase of poker machines, casinos and online betting has given us the sad ranking of number one in the world for per capita gambling losses. Problem gambling and addiction has had devastating consequences for thousands of people. For everyone else, betting has changed our social landscape and intruded in many areas of our lives we cannot control.

Why do Australians love to gamble? What limits should there be on betting and advertising? What can governments and communities do to counter its ill-effects?

On the next Fifth Estate, series host Sally Warhaft is joined by anti-gambling campaigner and independent Senator Nick Xenophon and author Michaela McGuire, whose new book Last Bets examines the gaps between ethics and the law.

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At the inaugural Di Gribble Argument, outspoken venture capitalist Mark Carnegie called for Australia to introduce a compulsory (non-military) national service.

His ideas include bringing older Australians and students together for mentoring and wisdom transfer, instituting randomly chosen juries of citizens to deliberate and decide on public issues (taking responsibility for key elements of the government’s work) and giving a voice to ordinary people through crowdsourcing.

He believes this would establish a culture of active participation in society and democracy, and ward off social threat. Describing civic service as ‘our means of defence,’ Carnegie has called his proposition ‘the maintenance program Australia needs.’

In this special spotlight edition of the Fifth Estate, Mark will speak to host Sally Warhaft about the ideas he’s put forward with his argument, and join her in dissecting and negotiating them.

The Di Gribble Argument is a new annual occasion to remember the legacy of publisher, editor and businesswoman Di Gribble, whose impact on the world of books, writing and ideas cannot be overstated.

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