Uncommon Sense

Author and former human rights lawyer Micheline Lee delves into the issues raised in her Quarterly Essay, Lifeboat: Disability, Humanity and the NDIS. Micheline explains that the NDIS, for all its good intentions, has not understood people with disabilities well enough. While government thought the market could do its job, a caring society cannot be outsourced.

The Politics' Rachel Withers joins Amy to talk federal politics, including the latest developments on the Voice referendum campaign. Micheline Lee delves into the issues raised in her Quarterly Essay, Lifeboat: Disability, Humanity and the NDIS. Micheline explains that the NDIS, for all its good intentions, has not understood people with disabilities well enough. While government thought the market could do its job, a caring society cannot be outsourced. Dr Adrian Marshall of the Grassy Plains Network and North West Alliance talks about Geelong's native grasslands and their endangered inhabitants, which are under threat from land development and urban expansion. Adrian will detail the Council's Geelong Strategic Assessment and its impacts on grasslands, Growling Grass Frogs, Striped Legless Lizards, and Golden Sun Moths. Submissions are due 5pm on Monday 25 September 2023.

Lucinda Holdforth, speechwriter and author, tells us what's wrong with 21st century virtues, like Authenticity, Vulnerability, Humility, Self-Care, Empathy, and Transparency, and how they've been captured by neoliberal thinking. Lucinda believes the quest for these attributes encourage people to put self before community and have replaced Courage, Truthfulness, and Integrity. To ensure a healthy democracy, do we need to reconsider what we think of as admirable traits in ourselves? Lucinda's book, 21st Century Virtues: How They Are Failing Our Democracy, is out via Monash University Publishing.

Nick Feik, freelance journalist and former editor of The Monthly explains why the federal Labor government's response to the 2023 Intergenerational Report and the climate crisis is a sad joke on us all. He also tells us about the lack of whistleblower protections and the newly launched, The Whistleblower Project, Australia’s first dedicated legal service to protect and empower whistleblowers who want to speak up about wrongdoing, offering pro bono legal support and advice for whistleblowers.

Lucinda Holdforth, speechwriter and author, tells us what's wrong with 21st century virtues, like Authenticity, Vulnerability, Humility, Self-Care, Empathy, and Transparency, and how they've been captured by neoliberal thinking. Lucinda believes the quest for these attributes encourage people to put self before community and have replaced Courage, Truthfulness, and Integrity. To ensure a healthy democracy, do we need to reconsider what we think of as admirable traits in ourselves? Lucinda's book, 21st Century Virtues: How They Are Failing Our Democracy, is out via Monash University Publishing.

Historian Professor Darius von Güttner Sporzyński from the ACU talks about The Great, a humorous 18th century period TV series from Australian writer-director Tony McNamara. Loosely based around the life of Catherine The Great, reigning Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, Darius thinks that Catherine was even more fascinating than her TV show character. A friend of Diderot and Voltaire, a patron of women artists, and a believer in science – was she a truly enlightened ruler? The Great is streaming on Stan.

Amy Mullins returns to the airwaves. The Guardian Australia's Graham Readfearn delves into the latest global environment news, including a mass coral bleaching event happening across the Americas, UNESCO's determination on the health of the Great Barrier Reef, Antarctic sea ice at historic lows, and more. The NGV’s Cathy Leahy, Senior Curator of Prints & Drawings and Conservator of Paintings Caitlin Breare join Amy to discuss their exhibition, Rembrandt: True to Life, featuring the work of 17th century Dutch master, Rembrandt van Rijn. They give us insights into Rembrandt's fascinating life, his print-making, oil paintings, and drawing practice, as well as the pioneering materials and techniques he used. We discuss several of Rembrandt''s works in the exhibition and what they tell us about him. With more than 100 etchings from the NGV Collection, alongside important paintings and loans from across the world, Rembrandt: True to Life is the most comprehensive exhibition of Rembrandt’s work to be held in Australia in 25 years. Open until 10 September at the NGV International. The NGV is hosting a special event on September 9, Revealing Rembrandt, with the NGV's paper, frames, and paintings conservators as they share their insights into researching, conserving and caring for works by Rembrandt. Comedian and architecture enthusiast Tim 'Rosso' Ross talks about his love of modernist architecture and his upcoming Melbourne show, Designing a Legacy Live, inspired by his acclaimed ABC TV show (on iView) and which features an in-conversation with Australian design icon Mary Featherston.

The NGV’s Cathy Leahy, Senior Curator of Prints & Drawings and Conservator of Paintings Caitlin Breare join Amy to discuss the exhibition, Rembrandt: True to Life, featuring the work of 17th century Dutch master, Rembrandt van Rijn. They give us insights into Rembrandt's fascinating life, his print-making, oil paintings, and drawing practice, as well as the pioneering materials and techniques he used. We discuss several of Rembrandt''s works in the exhibition and what they tell us about him. With more than 100 etchings from the NGV Collection, alongside important paintings and loans from across the world, Rembrandt: True to Life is the most comprehensive exhibition of Rembrandt’s work to be held in Australia in 25 years. Open until 10 September at the NGV International. The NGV is hosting a special event on September 9, Revealing Rembrandt, with the NGV's paper, frames, and paintings conservators as they share their insights into researching, conserving and caring for works by Rembrandt.

Historian Dr Emma Shortis talks about the latest in US politics, including the US debt ceiling crisis. Emma is a Research Fellow at the EU Centre of Excellence at RMIT.

Indigenous leader and 'Voice' advocate Thomas Mayo and award-winning journalist Kerry O'Brien sit down with Amy for a special in-depth conversation about the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, which the country will vote on in a referendum later this year. Thomas and Kerry explain the history behind the Voice and why we should support it. They also debunk some of the myths and misconceptions around it. Their Voice to Parliament Handbook: All The Detail You Need is designed to help Australians have conversations about the Voice. It's out now via Hardie Grant Books.

Professor Wanning Sun from UTS examines the costs of economic and cultural inequality to the intimate and emotional lives of China's people. Wanning focuses her attention on the experiences of rural migrant factory workers in the Pearl River Delta in southern China. Her essay is in the Conversation and her latest book is, Love Troubles: Inequality in China and its Intimate Consequences.

Indigenous leader and 'Voice' advocate Thomas Mayo and award-winning journalist Kerry O'Brien sit down with Amy for a special in-depth conversation about the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, which the country will vote on in a referendum later this year. Thomas and Kerry explain the history behind the Voice and why we should support it. They also debunk some of the myths and misconceptions around it. Their Voice to Parliament Handbook: All The Detail You Need is designed to help Australians have conversations about the Voice. It's out now via Hardie Grant Books.

World renowned forest scientist Professor David Lindenmayer discusses the breaking news that the Andrews Labor state government has announced that Victoria will end native forest logging and native forest timber production by January 2024 – 6 years ahead of schedule. David talks about the decades long campaign to end native forest logging in Victoria and the economics and science that supports ceasing it. After being promised a Great Forest National Park in 2014, David shares why we need one now more than ever. He also explains what the decision means for the regeneration of our native forests, as well as the plantation forest industry and forestry workers.

David is based at the ANU's Fenner School of Environment & Society where he researches the Mountain Ash forests of the Central Highlands in Victoria. He is also a member of the Biodiversity Council.

Luke Henriques-Gomes, Guardian Australia’s social affairs and inequality editor, delves into the urgent issues of inequality in Australia and the latest developments in the social security system, including the rate changes to JobSeeker, program changes to ParentsNext, the significant difficulties for people seeking to access the Disability Support Payment, and more. ​​

Ecologist, natural historian, and environmental photographer Alison Pouliot returns to discuss her fascinating new book, Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi. Alison takes us into the fungi kingdom and shares her vast knowledge and global experiences of fungi with us. She talks about the conservation of fungi, indigenous uses of fungi, the role of women in fungal lore, and much more.

World renowned forest scientist Professor David Lindenmayer discusses the breaking news that the Andrews Labor state government has announced that Victoria will end native forest logging and native forest timber production by January 2024 – 6 years ahead of schedule. David talks about the decades long campaign to end native forest logging in Victoria and the economics and science that supports ceasing it. After being promised a Great Forest National Park in 2014, David shares why we need one now more than ever. He also explains what the decision means for the regeneration of our native forests, as well as the plantation forest industry and forestry workers.