Luke Bateman recently fronted a Senate Inquiry into the Government's gambling reform bill. I caught up with him while he was in Parliament House to discuss his experience of gambling addiction and recovery, his love of fantasy books, and the role reading can play in young men’s lives.

Luke is a former professional rugby league player, writer and booktoker and talks about masculinity, vulnerability, and professional sports culture, and why strength doesn’t have to mean shutting down your emotions.

Luke’s book recommendations:

Fantasy: Ice Station and Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly; The Painted Man by Peter V. Brett; and Magician by Raymond E. Feist

Romance: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger; The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons; and Into the Blue by Emma Brodie

Dave’s book recommendations:

Fiction: Greenwood by Michael Christie, Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson, The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. le Guin, Dirt Music by Tim Winton and Where'd you Park your Spaceship by Rob Bell

Nonfiction: The Will to Change by bell hooks

In this episode we speak with Dr Nick Chartres, Associate Professor at the University of Sydney and co-lead of the Center in Corporate Harm. Nick explains how corporate interests and industry-sponsored research influence government regulators and distort public health policy.

We discuss the key regulatory flaws in Australia, including the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority's (APVMA) decision on Paraquat, a herbicide linked to Parkinson's disease that is banned in 70 countries, and proposed increases to insecticide residue limits on berries. Dr Chartres exposes the systemic biases in relying on unpublished industry safety data, outdated uncertainty factors, and non-transparent "weight of evidence" evaluations. We then turn our attention to Australia's Health Star Rating system, detailing how food industry involvement created an algorithm that rewards ultra-processed foods while ignoring harmful cosmetic additives. And last but not least, practical steps individuals can take at home while advocating for systemic political reform.

This week we’re bringing you a discussion between David and Genevieve Jacobs at the 2024 MensLink Business breakfast. It covers everything from his family moving from Zimbabwe and adjusting to life in Australia, to his rugby career and transition into politics, as well as reflections on what it’s like putting your hand up and asking for help as a man. Menslink is an amazing organisation that’s now in their 24th year of supporting boys and young men and their families in the Canberra region through their counselling, mentoring and education programs. They’re all free and their Business Breakfast is one of the ways they raise money to deliver their programs. If you would like to know more about Menslink or even make a donation to support their work, you can do so here: https://menslink.org.au/

We sat down with Dr. Sue Keay, Director of the UNSW AI Institute, to explore the physical infrastructure underpinning the artificial intelligence boom. We break down what "hyperscalers", “NeoCloud Providers” and "tokens" are, as well as the energy and water they require. Dr. Keay argues for the urgent need to build Australia's sovereign compute capabilities by supporting local, tax-paying providers, rather than giving away resources for a short-term sugar hit of foreign investment. The conversation highlights the stark regulatory double standard between physical AI (robotics) and unregulated non-physical AI, the impact of AI on the future of the Australian workforce, and why the country desperately needs to increase its R&D spending. Finally, Dr. Keay shares how AI can be used to solve environmental issues, and what she thinks the next 10 years could look like.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Catherine Williams, Executive Director of the Centre for Public Integrity, to unpack the state of political lobbying and democratic accountability in Australia. We discuss the crucial differences between third-party and in-house corporate lobbyists, the ethical dilemmas of "success fees," and the urgent need to extend the cooling-off period to stop the "revolving door" of politicians moving straight into industry roles. Dr. Williams also sheds light on Australia's declining public trust and the ongoing battle over Freedom of Information (FOI) laws and transparency.

The Center for Public Integrity

David's pass disclosure website

In this episode we sit down with Dr. Zac Seidler, clinical psychologist and Global Director of Research at Movember, to talk men’s health. We discuss the stresses men face, the algorithmic dangers of the "manosphere", the "perception gap" pressuring men to hide their true values, and why society desperately needs more "third spaces" for connection. David and Zac share their personal experiences as new dads and unpack Movember's latest report on the unaddressed struggles of modern fatherhood.

Movember's Website: https://au.movember.com/

Movember's New Dad Report: https://au.movember.com/story/more-than-a-provider

Men in Mind: https://meninmind.movember.com/

"Fix Our Feeds" Campaign: https://www.teachusconsent.com/fix-our-feeds

Running for Resilience: https://www.runningforresilience.com/

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In this episode, David Pocock sits down with Lizzie O'Shea, human rights lawyer, award-winning author, and founder of Digital Rights Watch. They dive into why Australia's data privacy laws lag behind places like California and Europe, and how the business models of tech giants like Meta and Google rely heavily on data extraction, addictive design, and even scams. Lizzie unpacks the dangers of Australia's retreat from stricter artificial intelligence regulation and highlights the environmental toll of hyper-scaling AI data centres being built across the country. From discussing the new Children's Online Privacy Code to unpacking the Pope's recent encyclical on AI, this conversation is a wake-up call to demand better digital rights and stop "sleepwalking" into a future where we serve technology, rather than it serving us.

The Children's Online Privacy Code Consultation: https://www.oaic.gov.au/engage-with-us/consultations/childrens-online-privacy-code-consultation-for-children-and-parents

Digital Rights Watch Mailing list: https://digitalrightswatch.org.au/signup/

Email the Attorney General to call for data privacy reform: [email protected]

This week we’re joined by public health expert Professor Samantha Thomas from Deakin University to look at the staggering reality of gambling in Australia. Professor Thomas unpacks the gambling industry's "tobacco-style" playbook, which increasingly targets young people and normalises a highly addictive product as an ordinary part of enjoying sport. We discuss the landmark 2023 ‘You win some, you lose more’ Parliamentary Report into gambling harm (often referred to as the Murphy Report), an inquiry led by the late Peta Murphy that unanimously recommended 31 measures - including a complete, phased in ban on all gambling advertising, banning inducements and the creation of a national regulator to prevent harm. We examine the government's heavily criticised "watered-down" response, the outsized influence of gambling lobbyists in Parliament, and why standing up to these vested interests is urgent. Finally, we outline what you can do to push for real legislative reform before it's too late.

Murphy Report: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Social_Policy_and_Legal_Affairs/Onlinegamblingimpacts/Report

Four Corners Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4MSHGEw2U8&t=34s

Why is Australia facing a domestic energy crisis while exporting record amounts of gas? In this episode, Senator David Pocock is joined by investigative journalist Marian Wilkinson and author Royce Kurmelovs to expose how the fossil fuel industry has effectively captured Australian politics.

The panel unpacks the industry's most effective tactics. From using former politicians and public servants to shape legislation, to exploiting global crises to protect their profits, as well as the role of geopolitics and how countries like Japan have pressured the Australian government not to tax gas exports.

With the ongoing failure of the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) and major parties refusing to back a 25% gas export tax, this episode provides a stark look at the realities of state capture. The guests highlight the urgent need for grassroots pressure at the ballot box and new political voices to ensure Australians finally get a fair return on their finite natural resources.

Chris Kohler, finance editor at the Nine Network, author of How They Get You, and the man behind @ChrisKohlerNews joins David Pocock to break down the latest federal budget.

They unpack efforts to tackle the housing crisis through changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing, and scrutinise the tax cut given to every Australian. Chris also explains the recent ACCC ruling against Coles for misleading "fake discount" pricing before they discuss several major structural issues facing the country: the disappointing response to the Murphy report on gambling harm, AI's looming threat to Australian jobs, and the ongoing campaign to make multinational gas companies pay their fair share of tax.