#transitzone

By Peter Clarke, Margo Kingston and Tim Dunlop

Margo Kingston, Peter Clarke and Tim Dunlop come together to talk through the transitions and transformations happening in the world at the moment as we all deal with Covid-19 pandemic. With regular g... more

· Society & Culture

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FAQs about #transitzone:

How many episodes does #transitzone have?

The podcast currently has 59 episodes available.

#transitzone episodes:

December 21, 2021 TRANSITZONE: MEET ZOE DANIEL - INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR GOLDSTEIN, MELBOURNE
Zoe Daniel is only 48. She has been a journalist most of her adult working life including long stints as a foreign correspondent in Africa, South East Asia and the United States with a front row media seat observing the rise of Trump, investigating the Trump presidency and the American citizens who support him. She travelled widely in the US pursuing grassroots insights as well as the bigger picture political stories. Back home in Australia, Zoe has made the switch from "objective" reporter to political player as an aspiring federal MP. She's challenging Tim Wilson, the Liberal Party incumbent of the electorate where she lives, Goldstein, a cluster of affluent suburbs along and near Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne. She's running as a "Voices of", centre-right, community-based, independent candidate. She spoke to Peter Clarke about why and how she decided to enter electoral politics, the issues and policies that animate her candidacy and how she sees her prospects for winning this ostensible "blue ribbon" coalition seat.
Zoe Daniel website: https://www.zoedaniel.com.au
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1h 3min
December 20, 2021 TRANSITZONE 2021 WRAP
The #transitzone podcasts started in August 2020 at the peak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. As Tim Dunlop, currently in Nice, France, Margo Kingston in her new home in Comboyne, regional New South Wales and Peter Clarke in Melbourne, Australia, reunite to reflect on another year of covid, politics and the media, the Omicron highly transmissible variant is causing huge concern globally and in Australia. The actual severity of the disease this variant causes is still being analysed by epidemiologists and other medical scientists around the world. Its emergence coincides with a general "opening up" of borders and wholesale relaxing of restrictions including facemasks and social distancing in Australia although still with clear differences across the Federation as the country faces another uncertain Christmas and New Year. Tim, Margo and Peter discuss the pandemic, a looming federal election, the patent corruption of the Morrison federal government, the phenomenon of the "Voices of" centre right, community-based, independent candidates challenging Liberal party incumbents in ostensible "blue ribbon" seats in cities and regional electorates based on their "four pillars - climate change, a federal integrity commission, gender equity and democratic representation itself. Tim, Margo and Peter speculate around what a hung federal parliament might look like and the potential role of current and any new independents in forming a minority government and the crucial role of political journalism to our democracy during the impending inevitably intense election campaign. Will the media meet the challenge in a Trump induced "post-truth" era in Australia? This next election will be pivotal to the future of our liberal democracy.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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1h 8min
December 11, 2021 Monique Ryan "Voices for" Independent Candidate for Kooyong Campaign Launch
On an overcast Melbourne morning, Dr Monique Ryan launched her "Voices for" campaign in the seat of Kooyong held by the federal treasurer, Josh Frydenberg. Ryan is a "Voices for" centre-right, community based, independent candidate. Her campaign launch took place in a grand and historic room in the Hawthorn Arts Centre, scene of prior such events for former MPs representing Kooyong: Robert Menzies, Andrew Peacock and Petro Georgiou. This "taste" of the event includes some comments from Monique Ryan supporters at the launch.
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7min
December 04, 2021 DEMOCRACY: STRATEGIES, FRAMEWORKS, CONSEQUENCES - A Conversation with Dr John Hewson
Dr John Hewson was the Liberal Party, Federal Opposition Leader from 1990 to 1994 and architect of the 650 page policy and details rich Fightback economic document, who lost the "unlosable election" to Prime Minister, Paul Keating in 1993, largely because of the successful anti-GST election campaign by Keating (who himself early on during the Hawke administration had advocated for a Goods And Services Tax).
Dr Hewson is currently a professor in the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University and adjunct professor at a range of other universities. More recently John has been increasingly outspoken via the media about the state and the details of Australian politics especially under the Morrison government .
With Labor stalwart, Barry Jones, he is now a joint honorary patron of the not-for-profit Truth and Integrity Project which has a self acquired remit of tackling and debating the state of Australian politics, including corruption and the impoverished quality of political debate and discourse.
THE TRUTH AND INTEGRITY PROJECT WEBSITE: https://www.thetruthandintegrityproject.org.au
https://crawford.anu.edu.au/people/visitors/john-hewson
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53min
November 24, 2021 "Voices for" Independent Candidate for Hume, NSW, Penny Ackery, Speaks With Margo Kingston.
Here in the #transitzone, because we believe it is significant in Australian political history, we have been examining and documenting the “Voices for” movement around Australia, the phenomenon of centre-right, grass roots democracy candidates targeting Liberal Party incumbents in what are ostensibly blue ribbon seats.
You’ve already met some of those candidates, all women, here in the Zone.
The launches of new independent candidates in these electorates continue apace. Celebrity candidate, Allegra Spender, daughter of the late Carla Zampatti and wealthy Liberal blue blood, John Spender, is the independent candidate for the affluent and diverse Sydney inner city seat of Wentworth, held previously by John Hewson, Malcolm Turnbull and before the current Liberal incumbent, Dave Sharma, by independent, Kerryn Phelps.
The large and diverse NSW rural and regional electorate of Hume, held by the federal Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor now has an independent candidate too – Penny Ackery. Her candidacy was launched in Goulburn recently.
Margo Kingston, usually based in Comboyne regional NSW, has hit the road for the #transitzone to observe some of the independent candidates’ launches and check out the candidates themselves.
She caught up with Penny Ackery on her rural property near Goulburn.
OPINION: Writer, Brett Evans at Inside Story online magazine: https://insidestory.org.au/the-battle-for-hume-heats-up/

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22min
November 24, 2021 "Characters, Lies & Transactions" The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison by Sean Kelly
We have a federal election looming in Australia. Sometime in May 2022 seems the most likely date. But the phony war phase of that approaching campaign is already upon us. Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, is trying out some potential lines and slogans such as “can-do capitalism” in relation to climate change and seeking to find a wedge point against Labor wherever he can conjure one up. He is using "freedom" as a clear over arching catch-cry and playing a very ambiguous game around vaccination mandates especially in light of the right-wing street protests against compulsory vaccination around Australia and guerrilla dissent tactics from his own hard-right MPs in the federal parliament.
Labor have markedly increased the intensity and tempo of their responses and critiques in the federal parliament and via the media. Labelling Morrison a consistent untrustworthy liar and accusing him of “doublespeak”, especially around his recent response to right-wing protests against covid vaccination mandates in Victoria and elsewhere, are central themes of their attacks.
For his part, the PM recently avowed on Victorian radio that he believed he had never lied publically.
And he’s increasingly calling Opposition Leader Albanese, “sneaky”. Offence as defence.
If you often wonder who Scott Morrison actually is, what he definitively stands for, are befuddled, confused even disturbed by his hallmark, shape-shifting rhetoric, you are not alone.
As the partisan propaganda war plays out now and into the election campaign proper and the daily journalism, with varying degrees of success and authenticity, tries to make sense of it all via reportage and analyses, a new, non-fiction political book has hit the market as a potential guide for assessing the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, as he seeks another term in office, based on his record in government since 2019, including his management and leadership of Australia's response to the covid pandemic.
It's, The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison by Sean Kelly.
Sean was a political adviser to former Labor Prime Ministers, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. He is a columnist and op-ed writer for Channel Nine mastheads, The Guardian and for the Black Inc stable of writing and journalism including The Monthly.
He speak’s with the #transitzone’s, Peter Clarke.
Black Inc have published, The Game.
https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/game
"Inventing 'ScoMo'" by Sean Kelly at Inside Story
https://insidestory.org.au/inventing-scomo/

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1h 8min
November 06, 2021 #TRANSITZONE KYLEA TINK: INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR NORTH SYDNEY
Margo Kingston, Tim Dunlop and Peter Clarke have been speaking with centre-right activists within blue ribbon, Liberal Party held seats around Australia to examine and document this growing, grass-roots, community-based, #democracy movement now starting to intensify as the next federal election draws closer. Three key political figures in the independents' movement, Cathy McGowan, who won the northern Victorian regional seat of Indi from senior Liberal incumbent, Sophie Mirabella, Helen Haines who succeeded McGowan in that seat and Zali Steggal who ousted long time MP and former Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, from Warringah, have already spent time in the #transitzone. This time, the first independent candidate to be selected and start campaigning for the next election, Kylea Tink, who is seeking to replace Liberal incumbent, Trent Zimmerman in the seat of North Sydney, an affluent electorate with extensive harbour front suburbs, bordering Warringah. At the 2019 election Zimmerman achieved a two-party preferred percentage just under 60%. With public communications, professional background and originally from the NSW regional, north-western town of Coonabaraban, Tink says she is ready to face the rigours and unknowns of political campaigning.
KYLEA TINK WEBSITE: https://www.kyleatink.com.au/
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51min
October 29, 2021 "It Rains Sweet Nectar On You": Meet Mandy McKeesick, Outback Traveller - On the Road Again.
Mandy McKeesick, in her own words, is a "bush kid". She has lived, worked and travelled around more settled and remote Australia most of her life. She is a writer and photographer exploring and documenting through her words and images the less travelled tracks and meeting the people and "characters” of Australia's "fabled" Outback. Currently, Mandy is "putting a foot" in all ten Australian deserts, some of the most isolated and intriguing landscapes and environments in this vast, arid, eroded, island continent. Peter Clarke caught up with Mandy, on the road, in the remote opal mining town of Andamooka in South Australia.
USEFUL LINKSMandy McKeesick at Opal Heart Media: https://www.opalheartmedia.com.au Mandy on Instagram: @opalheartmediaR.M. Williams OutBack Magazine: https://www.outbackmag.com.auGeoScience Australia: listing all ten of Australia's deserts: https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/national-location-information/landforms/deserts 10 Deserts Project: an Indigenous led project to connect rangers throughout the 10 deserts - https://10deserts.org/Andrew Harper: http://www.andrewharper.com.auOutback Camel Company (commercial): http://www.camelexpeditions.comThe Mala: https://alicespringsdesertpark.com.au/connect-with-nature/animals/animals/malaThe Barking Owl: https://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/barking-owl
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50min
October 14, 2021 Australian Federal Integrity Commission: Dr Helen Haines
Two key areas of policy in Australian politics are coming to a head: climate change and a Federal Integrity Commission or, to put it another way - intensifying corruption in our our system and excessive secrecy, lack of transparency and accountability, two bedrock attributes of a healthy, fully functioning democracy. These intertwined policy areas are also key in those Liberal held seats being targeted by centre-right, community based, independent candidates across Australia in the looming federal election. The independent member for Indi, Dr Helen Haines, (successor to Cathy McGowan in that seat) first spoke to us in the #transitzone almost a year ago about her private member's bill for an Australian Federal Integrity Commission. Since then, almost no progress has been made at the government's instigation to progress any integrity legislation despite their repeated promises and long delays. With federal parliament resuming sittings next week, (Monday 18 October 2021) there may be some movement around a form of integrity legislation. But it is very uncertain. Perhaps the government will simply produce some draft legislation, reflecting its earlier, very weak form of an Integrity Commission, refer it to a committee and head off to an election with legislation still unpassed. It's been quite a saga of of deception, delay and industrial strength propaganda. The recent resignation of former NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has only complicated the political push and shove with PM Morrison and his ministers leveraging off her departure to face investigation by the NSW ICAC to denounce this NSW model (as it it were the only model available for an ICAC) and cast doubt on whether federally we need any form of formal integrity machinery at all. Dr Helen Haines returns to the #transitzone to discuss her private member's bill with Margo Kingston and Peter Clarke and to give a few hints what she might do in parliament next week to resuscitate and prosecute her Australian Federal Integrity Commission.
HELEN HAINES WEBSITE: https://www.helenhaines.org/bills/integrity CENTRE FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY ANALYSES OF VARIOUS CORRUPTION WATCHDOG MODELS: https://publicintegrity.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Weakest-watchdog-FINAL-4.10.21-1.pdf AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE TIMELINE SINCE 2016 ON A FEDERAL INTEGRITY COMMISSION https://australiainstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Commonwealth-Integrity-Commission-timeline-Web.pdf
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43min
October 10, 2021 TRANSITZONE "MACKELLAR RISING"?
Another episode in the #transitzone continuing series on grassroots democracy in Australia, examining the role of centre-right candidates activating and cohering strong, local community support to take on sitting Liberal Party members in blue ribbon seats especially in Sydney and Melbourne but in other states and regions too. This time, the Sydney seat of Mackellar held since 2016 by Jason Falinski on a 63.2% two party preferred vote. As in other similar seats being targeted, such as North Sydney, the key issues of climate change, integrity in government, including an effectual federal integrity commission and authentic democratic representation are to the fore. Speaking with Margo Kingston and Peter Clarke are the co-founder of Voices of Mackellar and Mackellar Rising, GP, Dr Sophie Scamps and Mark Kelly, founder of Vote Tony Out, in the adjoining electorate of Warringah which, now federal independent MP, Zali Steggall, won from former Prime Minister and long-time member, Tony Abbott.
VOICES OF MACKELLAR https://www.voicesofmackellar.org.au MACKELLAR RISING https://www.mackellarrising.org.au/general-7
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44min

FAQs about #transitzone:

How many episodes does #transitzone have?

The podcast currently has 59 episodes available.