Nuclear weapons are still a threat to humanity. In our age of uncertainty, Australia isn’t doing enough to rid the world of these weapons.

On this episode, Paul Barclay is joined by Dr Tilman Ruff, co-founder of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) to discuss Australia's role in trying to rid the world of nuclear weapons, including renouncing protection by nuclear weapons, the need to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), and the risks associated with the AUKUS deal.

This discussion was recorded on Wednesday, 26 February 2025, and things may have changed since the recording.

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Dr Tilman Ruff AO, Co-founder and Founding Chair, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons // @tilmanaruff

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay

Show notes

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference by Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (August 2022)

The hands of the Doomsday Clock show the world is ignoring a potential three-headed catastrophe by Allan Behm, The New Daily (January 2025)

Risky Business: An update on super funds and nuclear weapons by Rosemary Kelly, Margaret Beavis, Alice Grundy, Adam Gottschalk, Olivia Chollet, the Australia Institute (October 2024)

Australia’s Future Submarines: Submarines, submarine propulsion, defence policy, national security, AUKUS, nuclear safeguards and sovereignty: how do the pieces fit together? by Allan Behm, Rear Admiral Peter Briggs and Commodore Paul Greenfield RAN (October 2022)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the failure of the Voice referendum, achieving justice for Indigenous Australians remains more important than ever. This demands keeping hope alive.

On this episode, Thomas Mayo joins Paul Barclay to discuss the Voice referendum, the use of Indigenous issues as a political football, disinformation in the media and social media, truth in political advertising laws, and the continuing importance of the Uluru Statement and a voice for indigenous people.

This discussion was recorded on Thursday 6 February 2025, and things may have changed since the recording.

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Thomas Mayo, Assistant National Secretary, Maritime Union of Australia // @thomasmayo

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay

Show notes:

Compared to the cost of protesting, buying time with a minister is very cheap by Jack Thrower and Vivien Clarke, the Australia Institute (January 2025)

Truth in political advertising laws, factsheet, the Australia Institute (December 2024)

Misinformation and the referendum by Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (October 2023)

Supporting Media Diversity: Nordic Lessons by Ebony Bennett, Dr Maria Rae and Professor Kristy Hess, the Australia Institute (February 2023)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The climate crisis is an inequality crisis. Australia needs to pay attention to equity and inclusion and enable sustainable development for countries in energy poverty.

On this episode Sunita Narain joins Paul Barclay to discuss the need for inclusive and equitable growth in tackling climate change, pollution and congestion in Delhi, renewable energy in India and how climate change and climate justice will affect global migration.

This discussion was recorded on Tuesday, 18 February 2025, and things may have changed since the recording.

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Sunita Narain, Environmentalist Writer and Director general, the Centre of Science and Environment // @sunitanar

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay

Show notes

Our crisis of integrity looms in the Pacific by Elizabeth Morison, The Canberra Times (December 2024)

The National Climate Disaster Fund: Our Pacific neighbours, an Australia Institute initiative

“A drowning memory”: the Pacific Island communities fighting for their survival, Follow the Money (March 2025)

Hitting our limits: the climate and COP29, Follow the Money (November 2024)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nature is priceless. It’s Monty Pythonesque to think that pricing nature will stop extinctions or protect the planet.

On this episode of Big Ideas, former senator Bob Brown joins Paul Barclay to discuss the ‘price of extinction’, how monetising the environment won’t save it, the corporate capture of democracy and the failure of the major parties to truly protect the environment.

This discussion was recorded on 5 February 2025 and things may have changed since the recording.

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Bob Brown, Co-Founder, Bob Brown Foundation // @BobBrownFndn

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay

Show notes:

Shorting the Environment by Polly Hemming, Rod Campbell and Richard Denniss, the Australia Institute (September 2022)

Carbon credits no excuse for NSW Government to stall on saving koalas, the Australia Institute (April 2024)

“Nature Positive” summit can’t conceal nature negative policies, the Australia Institute (October 2024)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For most would-be whistleblowers, the cost of courage is way too high. A whistleblower protection authority would ease their path.

On this episode, Paul Barclay talks with Kieran Pender, associate legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre. Kieran says that current laws leave whistleblowers unsupported, vulnerable to retribution and liable for prosecution. Australia needs to lower the cost of courage in the public interest.

This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 29 January 2025, and things may have changed since the recording.

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Kieran Pender, Associate Legal Director at the Human Rights Law Center // @KieranHRLC

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay

Show notes

Whistleblowing While You Work: Using Rewards for Whistleblowing to Uncover White-collar Crime by Jack Thrower, the Australia Institute (October 2024)

Whistleblowing in Australia: Prosecutions, Law Reform and the Whistleblower Project by Kieran Pender, the Australia Institute (August 2023)

Polling – Whistleblowing & secrecy, the Australia Institute (May 2023)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

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Australians know how to solve national problems, but our political system protects the duopoly that creates them. That’s why we need proportional representation.

On this episode, Paul Barclay is joined by former senator Christine Milne who brings her expertise and insights on how proportional representation and minority governments can be much more democratic, diverse, and help reduce corporate lobbying power.

This discussion was recorded on Monday 27 January 2025, and things may have changed since the recording.

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Christine Milne AO, Former Leader of the Australian Greens // @ChristineMilne

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay

Show notes

Power sharing in Australian parliament by Bill Browne and Richard Denniss, the Australia Institute (July 2024)

Representative, Still: The role of the Senate in our Democracy, by Bill Browne and Ben Oquist, the Australia Institute (March 2021)

Healthy democracies need strong oppositions by Ben Oquist, The Canberra Times (March 2021)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ABC is always under attack. The best thing we can do for democracy is defend it.

On this episode, Paul Barclay talks with Alex Sloan about the importance of independent public broadcasters, why they need to be well-funded in an increasingly privately-owned media landscape, and how they are the barometer of a strong democracy.

This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 19 March 2025, and things may have changed since the recording.

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Alex Sloan, former ABC broadcaster and award-winning journalist and interviewer

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay

Show notes:

Submission: An independent ABC for a strong democracy by Benjamin Walters and Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (November 2023)

Royal Commissions and inquiries prompted by ABC journalism by Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (August 2023)

Polling – The ABC and public broadcasting, the Australia Institute (April 2022)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

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There’s nothing indulgent about public funding for Australian culture. More funds would fix many of the sector’s problems. 

On this episode, Adelaide Writers Week director Louise Adler joins Paul Barclay to talk about the biggest challenges facing the arts sector, including higher costs and prices, greater reliance on philanthropy and greater vulnerability to political controversies.  

This discussion was recorded on Monday, 3 February 2025, and things may have changed since the recording. 

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. 

Guest: Louise Adler, Director of Adelaide Writers Week // @louieadller1 

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay 

Show notes: 

Commonwealth live music inquiry: sing along with the chorus now… by Morgan Harrington, the Australia Institute (March 2025) 

The Carnival is Over: music festivals struggle as football roars by Morgan Harrington, the Australia Institute (October 2024) 

Art vs Dismal Science: The economics of Australia’s creative arts sector by Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (April 2020) 

Background Brief: Economic Importance of the Arts and Entertainment Sector by Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (June 2020) 

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions 

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world of uncertainty, it is more important than ever for Australia to stop dismissing ourselves as a ‘middle power’ and start exerting our influence on the global stage. 

On this episode, Allan Behm joins Paul Barclay to discuss Australia’s diplomatic strategy of ‘pre-emptive capitulation’, America’s international bullying and how Australia should use its unrecognised national power. 

This discussion was recorded on Monday, 24 February 2025, and things may have changed since the recording. 

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. 

Guest: Allan Behm, Special Advisor in International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute 

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay

Show notes:  

AUSFTA: A bad deal then. Even worse now., by Jack Thrower, the Australia Institute (March 2025) 

With friends like these, After America (February 2025) 

Polling – President Trump, security and the US–Australian alliance, Polling brief (March 2025)  

Talk us through AUKUS, by Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (February 2023) 

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions 

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To end the housing crisis, governments need to stop subsidising private investors and instead directly invest in social housing. 

On this episode, Maiy Azize joins Paul Barclay to discuss the housing crisis, how the government stopped directly providing housing and started subsidising private investors, why immigration is not to blame, how the housing crisis is an inequality crisis, why ‘supply’ is not the main problem nor main solution, and why Australia needs to massively invest in social housing. 

This discussion was recorded on 20 March 2025, and things may have changed since the recording. 

Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. 

Guest: Maiy Azize, national spokesperson Everybody's Home and deputy director, Anglicare Australia // @MaiyAzize 

Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay 

Show notes:  

Australia’s sick housing joke, Dollars & Sense (March 2025) 

Migrants are not to blame for soaring house prices, by Matt Grudnoff, the Australia Institute (March 2025) 

Australia wastes billions making housing more expensive, Dollars & Sense (July 2024) 

For more affordable housing we need more public housing by Lilia Anderson, the Australia Institute (February 2024) 

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions 

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. 

Support What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.