Uncommon Sense

Historian Dr Alexis Bergantz from RMIT talks about the diplomatic fallout from the AUKUS security and submarine announcement, and why Australia should have seen France’s hurt coming. NGV senior curators Dr Ted Gott and Dr Miranda Wallace discuss the pioneering artists and works featured in the NGV's latest major exhibition, French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Art, Boston. Historian Barabara Minchinton discusses her new book, The Women of Little Lon: Sex Workers in Nineteenth-Century Melbourne.

NGV senior curators Dr Ted Gott and Dr Miranda Wallace discuss the pioneering artists and works featured in the NGV's latest major exhibition, French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Art, Boston

Gabrielle Chan returns to talk about her new book, Why You Should Give A F*ck About Farming. Luke Henriques-Gomes, Social affairs & inequality editor at the Guardian, talks about inequality in Australia, including the Senate Inquiry into the Disability Support Pension, calls to bring back the coronavirus supplement payment, and the government's pursuit of alleged welfare debts. Lucie Krahulcova, Executive Director of Digital Rights Watch, speaks about the new national surveillance laws, which have just passed Australia's federal parliament. They give security agencies unprecedented powers for online surveillance, data interception and the alteration of data.

Gabrielle Chan returns to talk about her new book, Why You Should Give A F*ck About Farming

Dr Richard Denniss, chief economist at The Australia Institute talks federal politics and closely examines Morrison's "safe plan" for opening up, including Richard's recent report on the centrality of Australia's TTIQ (Test, Trace, Isolate, Quarantine) system to the plan, which underpins the Doherty's modelling. Writer Bri Lee returns to talk about her new book, Who Gets to Be Smart: Privilege, Power and Knowledge. Art curator Sue Cramer explores the work and life of pioneering Swedish abstract artist of the 19th and 20th century, Hilma af Klint. Her work is being featured in a fully virtual exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW, Hilma af Klint At Home.

Dr Richard Denniss scrutinises the Prime Minister's "safe plan" for opening up Australia in a COVID world, and debunks the neo-liberal political spin from Canberra and NSW. Does the Doherty Institute's modelling support the plan? What does the modelling even say (in plain English)? And what are its underlying assumptions? Will lockdowns really be a thing of the past? How many Australians will still be unvaccinated once we reach the 80% adult vaccination target? How many cases will there be? Will our ICU's cope? Dr Richard Denniss is the chief economist at The Australia Institute.

Rachel Withers, Contributing Editor to The Monthly, discusses the latest in federal politics. Wildlife cinematographer Nick Hayward and behavioural ecologist Dr Anastasia Dalziell take us into the forest, describing the brilliant mimicry of the lyrebird in Australia and their involvement in The Message of the Lyrebird documentary, directed by Mark B. Pearce. Artist and writer Georgia Mill talks about her new podcast, A Fluorescent Feeling, which explores people's lived experiences of pain, illness, and disability. The series asks how we might record pain in new ways, how pain intersects with power, and how pain and intimacy are related.

Renowned wildlife cinematographer Nick Hayward and behavioural ecologist Dr Anastasia Dalziell take us into the forest, describing the brilliant mimicry and fascinating behaviours of the lyrebird in Australia, and their involvement in The Message of the Lyrebird documentary, directed by Mark B. Pearce (Balagara Films).

Historian Dr Emma Shortis speaks in-depth about her brilliant debut book, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia’s Fatal Alliance with the United States. Guardian Australia’s environment reporter Graham Readfearn discusses the Australian government’s lobbying efforts to prevent the Great Barrier Reef from being listed as ‘in danger’ by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Plus the committee's decision to list the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex, and its consequences for the Karen people. Pacific affairs correspondent Nic Maclellan talks about the latest in Pacific politics, including President Emmanuel Macron’s recent visit to French Polynesia, the sudden rise in COVID-19 cases, and the ongoing legacy of nuclear testing and colonisation. Plus the COVID-19 situation across the Pacific, what happened at the latest Pacific Islands Forum, and Samoa's first female Prime Minister.

Historian and author Dr Emma Shortis joins Amy to speak in-depth about her brilliant debut book, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia’s Fatal Alliance with the United States. We begin the conversation considering the situation in Afghanistan where the Taliban has taken over and there is a mad scramble for countries like the U.S. and Australia to evacuate people from Kabul Airport.