On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with former chief scientist of Australia, Dr Alan Finkel AO, to discuss the challenges facing Australia reaching carbon neutral and to unpack the comprehensive roadmap he laid out in the Quarterly Essay ‘Getting To Zero, Australia’s Energy Transition’. Then, Crickey’s politics editor, Bernard Keane, wades through the muck seeping out of Canberra to talk about their new series ‘The Dirty Country’, reporting on corruption in Australia and within Australian politics. And Associate Professor Leach Ruppanner from Melbourne University explains new research into the experience of women in local government highlighting that toxic workplace culture is not isolated to Canberra, and ‘Just like Federal MPs, women in local government cop it all’.

On this episode of The Grapevine, Dave Wells, CEO of Reclink, a charity that funds a variety of community recreation groups, gets on the line to discuss some of the plans and projects to support disadvantaged members of the community across Australia in 2021. And Dave Nichols returns to break down the contention between the Albert Park residents and the local school students accessing public parkland and discusses the general aversion to students in public urban spaces. Then, Misha Ketchell, editor for The Conversation phones in for the 10-year anniversary of the publication. Ketchell talks about the impact of The Conversation over the last decade, and the success of the publication globally. 

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Cam Walker, campaign organiser at Friends of The Earth to discuss the world-first trail of using Latrobe Valley coal to produce hydrogen for export to Japan. Walker unpacks the latest energy sector announcements, including Energy Australia’s decision to close the Yallourn power plant early, following the Hazelwood station’s decommissioning. Then, editor at Croaky and freelance journalist Jennifer Doggett explains the systematic problems within the Australian health system that may obstruct the covid-19 vaccine rollout. And historian Graham Willett describes the findings of the new report from The Australian Queer Archives on the history of the LGBTIQ+ community in Victoria. Willet was the project manager of the report, which identified 100 places, objects, and collections that have special meaning to Victoria’s contemporary queer communities.

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja is joined by special guest co-host Judith Peppard for an International Women's Day edition of the program. They get on the line with Australian Council of Trade Unions President Michele O’Neil intersection of IWD and Labour day in 2021. O’Neil discusses the disparity between the value of industries comprising mostly women in the Australian economy, and the inequality still present in the labour market and tax system – issues only exacerbated by the pandemic. Then, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne Martha Hickey talks about her essay ‘Flesh After Fifty’ which was the genis for the exhibition of the same name currently showing at the Abbotsford Convent. The exhibition explores and challenges negative stereotypes of aging and celebrates the image of older women through art. As part of the festival’s programming, Professor Hickey will appear on the ‘My Menopause’ council. And, AP (aka Abbie Pobjoy), Director of ‘Why Did She Have To Tell The World’, explores the historic moment when the first lesbian couple were televised in Australia. The documentary screens as part of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and ABC TV at 8pm Sunday March 14.

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Executive Director of Per Capita Emma Dawson to breakdown the Coalition Government losing their working majority in the house, the $3.50-a-day increase to JobSeeker, the revelations of the Aged Care Royal Commission, and the expose of Canberra’s toxic culture. And, Don Weatherburn, Adjunct Professor at the University of New South Wales explains the dramatic decline of crime in Australia. Weatherburn’s new book ‘The Vanishing Criminal’ co-authored with Sara Rahman explores why violent crimes have dropped by around 40-80 percent in Australia in the last few decades. Then, Sally Rippin, Australia’s highest-selling female author returns to talk all about her new book series coming out for early readers called ‘The School of Monsters’, coming out 3 March.

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Jeff Sparrow, Lecturer in the Centre for Advancing Journalism at Melbourne University, and long-time Triple R broadcaster, to break down the Facebook ban of Australian News media and the implications this conflict has for regulation of big tech globally. This development is a poignant reminder to source your news directly, so subscribe to the Triple R newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any updates (on the footer of the Triple R website)! Then, how have post-9/11 wars and campaigns impacted the development of today’s youth? Multi award-winning author Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah calls in to discuss the insights she has gleaned in the research for her new book ‘Coming of Age in the War on Terror’, out via New South Books. And Katie Stewart, General Manager at the Victorian Music Development Office explains the research findings of an RMIT into the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the Victorian music sector, how some artists are bouncing back, and what the Victorian music scene will look like in a post-covid Australia. 

On this episode of The Grapevine Dylan and Kulja get on the line with Associate Professor in Pacific Studies at ANU, Katerina Teaiwa to break down what happened at the Pacific Island Forum and why one-third of the member nations have indicated they will walk away… Then, journalist and author Jo Chandler discuss her essay in the latest Griffith Review ‘Tales from the frontline: The emotional impact of climate change', exploring the impact of the pandemic on climate action through the unique lens of comparative place and time. 

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan break down Victoria’s new rental laws coming into effect in 2021 with Professor of Housing and Social Policy at Swinburne University Wendy Stone. Then, ABC’s China correspondent Bill Birtles gets on the line to talk about the ‘Foreign Correspondent’ Hong Kong special on ABC TV ‘City of Fear’, and his coverage of China since he was forced to flee the country in September last year. And CEO of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Professor Glyn Davis AC, discusses his new essay ‘On Life’s Lottery’ that addresses how entrenched intergenerational poverty puts the poor at a serious disadvantage in a meritocracy, when wealth and privilege acts intergenerationally too.

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Professor of History at La Trobe University Clare Wright to discuss her essay for Griffith Review 71, ‘Masters of the Future or heirs of the past? Mining, history and the right to know’. Wright explains why it’s crucial the mining industry work with First Australian communities to avoid incidents like the tragic detonation of the Juukan Gorge by Rio Tinto last year.   Then, does Australia have a growing problem with far-right extremism? Left-wing writer Jeff Sparrow, author of ‘Fascists Among Us: Online Hate and the Christchurch Massacre’ calls in to discuss the implications of the right-wing extremist group that burned a cross in the Grampians over the Australia Day weekend. And, following the Russia protests that kicked off after Kremlin opposition figure and anti-corruption activist, Alexei Navalny was imprisoned upon returning to the country after fleeing an assassination attempt by poisoning. Alexey Muraviev, Associate Professor of National Security and Strategic Studies at Curtin University breaks down the Russia protests, Navalny’s activism, and the implications of his imprisonment for human rights in Russia.

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with author, guardian columnist, and former RRR Breakfaster, Dr Jeff Sparrow to breakdown Australia’s diplomatic fallout with China, and the measures that need to be taken to forestall a looming trade-war. And, human rights lawyer and Executive Director of Refugee Legal, David Manne discusses the plight of refugees detained indefinitely in hotels and unpacks the High Court’s decision that refugees can bring legal action to the courts in relation to the conditions and treatment of their detention. Then, for the fourth year running, Melbourne author and speaker Tony Wilson returns for the prestigious Speakolies awards! Tony covers some of the best speeches this year that he has curated on his website speakola, and declares once and for all, the best speech of 2020. This is the last episode of The Grapevine for 2020, Kulja and Dylan will be back February 2021. A huge thank you to all the listeners and subscribers for all your support this year, we couldn’t do it without you! Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!