On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan speak with journalist, author, and chief political correspondent of the ABC’s ‘7:30’, Laura Tingle about her Quarterly Essay ‘The High Road’. Tingle contrasts the two countries’ responses to socio-economic, and environmental circumstances to draw up some important lessons for Australian leaders. And Associate Professor Dave Nichols returns to breakdown Victoria’s announced $5.3 billion budget for a new infrastructure project that will include big spending on social housing and public transport. Prof Nichols explains what these announced infrastructure projects means for the future of Melbourne. Then, following the announcement of an electric vehicle road use tax in Victoria, founder and editor of Renew Economy, Giles Parkinson gets on the line to discuss how this policy and the lack of incentives to buy electric vehicles is likely to drive down sales as much as 25 percent by 2050, and result in higher emissions in Australia. Finally, Dr Bob Boughton, the lead editor of ‘Comrades! Lives of Australian Communists’ discusses the collection of 100 short biographical essays celebrating the centenary of the foundation of the Communist Party of Australia (CPA). The stories outline the role CPA members played in working-class organisations and progressive social change movements over the 70 years the party has been active.

On this episode of The Grapevine, how effective will Victoria’s $5.3 billion social housing project be for those threatened with, or experiencing homelessness? Dr Sarah Taylor & co-author Juliet Watson discuss the challenges of investing meaningfully, after their new report for RMIT’s Unison Housing Research Lab found social housing tenants are more likely to have experienced chronic, often lifelong, disadvantage than other groups. Then, author, historian, speechwriter, social critic, and humorist, Don Watson gets on the line to discuss the release of his new book ‘Watsonia: A Writing Life’, a definitive anthology of Watson’s greatest works. And, climate Scientist Joelle Gergis at Australian National University discusses her essay ‘A Season of Change’ for Griffith Review 70 ‘Generosities of Spirit’, which outlines the urgency of climatologists’ work, and breaks down the latest climate science.

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Julie Sonnemann, Acting School Education Program Director at the Grattan Institute to discuss Victoria’s $250 million plan to help students who fell behind catch up on their education, and her piece in The Conversation arguing what is necessary for the plan’s success. And, how does Australia prosecute war crimes? Rawan Arraf, Principal Lawyer and Director of the Australian Centre for International Justice discusses the instalment of the Office of the Special Investigator within the Department of Home affairs to investigate alleged war crimes perpetrated by Australian special forces in Afghanistan, and his call for a “dedicated and permanent program” to investigate and prosecute Australian war criminals. Then, best-selling author, polymath, and champion of culture and innovation, Barry Jones chats about his new book ‘What is to be done: Political engagement and saving our planet’. Following up on his influential book ‘When Sleepers, Wake!’, Jones explores the changes to work, class, and climate in a post-truth digital era where conversation is dominated by marketing and the manipulation of ‘facts’ by political figures.

On this episode of The Grapevine, Dylan gets on the line with three-time Richmond Premiership player Bachar Houli to discuss his new memoir ‘Bachar Houli: Faith, Football and Family’ co-written with broadcaster and writer Waleed Aly. Houli is most known for his strong adherence to Muslim values and has used his position to become the AFL’s leading voice for inclusion and tolerance. As World leaders send their congratulations to President Elect Joe Biden, Amber Jamieson, Buzzfeed reporter based in the US gives a much anticipated update on the controversy surrounding the divisive US election, and what the general feeling is on the street. And will humanity ever escape the threat of mutually assured destruction? Dimity Hawkins, Co-Founder and current board member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) calls in to discuss her article in The Conversation, ‘315 Nuclear bombs and on-going suffering, the shameful history of nuclear testing in Australia and the Pacific’, and the ongoing effort to disarm the world’s nuclear arsenal.

On this episode of The Grapevine, what does Australia’s growing economic ties with Asia mean for the US alliance? Dylan and Kulja get on the line with US writer and journalist Patrick Lawrence to discuss Australia’s future in Pacific region that he explores in his essay for Australian Foreign Affairs ‘Goodbye America - the remaking of Asia’. Then, as former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s petition for a royal commission into the Murdoch media monopoly gains hundreds of thousands of Australian signatures, Tim Dunlop explains the idea that the Australian media is ‘anti-audience’ which he explores in his essay for Meanjin Quarterly 'Journalism Saves Democracy. That’s Us'. And renewable energy expert Ketan Joshi calls in to talk about his new book ‘Windfall: unlocking a fossil-free future’. Joshi discusses how a decade of misinformation surrounding renewables has stalled effective climate policy in Australia, and what can be done going forward to break free from fossil fuel dependency.

Content Warning: This episode touches on some sensitive topics including mental health and family violence (beginning at the 14:04 mark and ending at 27:46 if you’d prefer to skip this). If anything you hear is distressing please reach out to someone who can help keep you safe. Or remember you can call 1800 respect on 1800 737 732. On this episode of The Grapevine, as restrictions begin to ease in Victoria, Kulja chats with Matt Ruchel, the Executive Director for the Victorian National Parks Association about the results of their new poll highlighting a growing need for nature and parks amongst COVID-fatigued Melbournians. And as domestic violence is exacerbated by lockdowns in Victoria, help seeking by victims of the ‘Shadow Pandemic’ has been severely limited. Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre Research Fellow, Dr Naomi Pfitzner discusses their research into the wellbeing toll on Melbourne practitioners responding to family violence during COVID-19. Then, Federal MP and author Andrew Leigh gets on the line to talk about the role of local social connections in rebuilding communities in the aftermath of the pandemic. Leigh’s new book co-authored with Nick Terrell ‘Reconnected: A Community Builder’s Handbook’, explores what makes a successful community and to develop strong social ties.

On this episode of The Grapevine, will the Northcote golf course remain public parkland as pandemic restrictions ease? Kulja is joined on the line by Associate Professor and Lecturer of Urban Planning at Melbourne University, David Nichols, to discuss the negotiations about future use of the Northcote golf course. Then, award winning author, climate activist, and academic, Dr Tony Birch discusses the Melbourne School of Discontent’s 'Black Fire' lecture series, and how they are attempting to challenge the mainstream narrative of indigenous politics and history in Australia, and provide an alternative voice in the national conversation. And Queen Victoria Women's Centre feminist in residence, Kate Robinson talks about the ‘Make A Fuss’ craft exhibition, a project of over 150 crowd-sourced works that highlight issues women and marginalised genders don’t want to be silent about anymore.

Content Warning: this week's episode touches on some sensitive topics including suicide and mental health (beginning at the 40:42 minute mark if you'd prefer to skip this). If anything you hear is distressing please reach out to someone who can help keep you safe. Or, remember you can call lifeline at any time on 13, 11, 14.  On this episode of The Grapevine, as local government elections go postal, Kulja and Dylan speak with President of the Municipal Association of Victoria, Councillor Coral Ross to discuss the importance of local elections to the democratic process as the pandemic has the effect of denying women access to participation in local government. Then, Executive Director of Per Capita, Emma Dawson gets on the line to discuss the implications of the Federal Government's recently released delayed budget for a COVID-recovery. Dawson’s new book Co-edited with Professor Janet McCalm ‘What Happens Next?’ explores innovative ideas from Australia’s leading minds for reconstructing Australia in the aftermath of the pandemic. And, author and journalist, Erik Jensen discuss his Stephen Murray-Smith memorial lecture ‘The Man with no face’ for the State Library of Victoria. Jensen discusses the death of asylum seek Hamed Shamshiripour on Manus island in 2017, and the phenomenon of “the Australian facelessness” that dissociates “other” people, and “disappears” them from national political debate.

On this episode of The Grapevine, As Australia mourns the deaths of feminist icons Susan Ryan and Helen Reddy, Dylan is joined by Mary Crooks, Executive Director of the Victorian Women’s Trust to reflect on the role these extraordinary women played in furthering gender equality, and their impact on Australian culture and society. And what does ‘populism’ actually mean? American political analyst, historian, and journalist Thomas Frank calls in all the way from the US to talk about his new book defending populism, 'People Without Power: the war on populism and the fight for democracy'. Frank describes the corruption of the term in culture by elite groups to discredit grassroots political movements by the working class.  Then, journalist Leanne Jorari gets on the line to discuss her article 'Bougainville: A new captain at the helm' exploring the implications for the autonomous zone following the presidential coronation of former revolutionary army commander Ishmael Toroama.

On this episode of The Grapevine, Dylan and Kulja talk accountability and integrity in government with Paddy Manning, journalist and contributing politics editor at The Monthly. And the significance of the Federal Government’s announced $4.5 billion upgrade to the NBN, ahead of the upcoming release of the delayed budget. Then, as Indonesian President Joko Widodo enters his second term, Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute Ben Bland, discusses how a prospective champion of democracy came to be criticised by political and human rights activists. Ben’s book ‘Man of Contradictions’ chronicles Joko Widodo’s unique political career and origin.