Follow The Money

In this, our 100th episode of Follow the Money, we celebrate with a special look back at some of our special guests, some of our favourite highlights, worst jokes and some of the interesting topics we've covered in the past 99 episodes. Our heartfelt thanks to all our listeners - we're looking forward to the next 100 episodes! The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy...

One of the main goals of public health around the world has been to prevent the number of severe cases from overwhelming the hospitals and the health system. We know that severe cases of Covid require intensive care and respirators, but as a novel virus with no vaccine or treatments, clinicians are learning on the job how best to treat it. We are joined by three experienced ICU clinicians who are...

In this second of our two-part episode on gas, we explore the flaws in the cost benefit analysis of the Santos' Narrabri gas project in NSW and why it doesn't stack up economically, environmentally or to create jobs, with Rod Campbell, research director at the Australia Institute. www.tai.org.au Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Rod Campbell...

The Morrison government has said it will increase investment in skills and training if the states and territories sign up to an overhaul of the Vocational Education and Training sector. ACTU President Michele O'Neil, Correna Haythorpe, federal president of the AEU and Alison Pennington, senior economist at the Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute on why the TAFE system has been in tur...

In this episode UN chief economist Elliott Harris talks about why it's risky to withdraw fiscal stimulus too soon and why a clean green recovery makes sense for the long term, in conversation with Richie Merzian, director of the Australia Institute's Climate & Energy Program. Part of the Australia Institute's Economics of a Pandemic webinar series. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the A...

In this first of a two-part episode on gas, we explore why subsidising the gas industry is a poor option for economic recovery and explore the issues related to Santos' Narrabri gas project in NSW with Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor at the Australia Institute. www.tai.org.au Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Mark Ogge // @MarkOgge Producer: Jen...

Julia Gillard, chair of Beyond Blue and the former Prime Minister of Australia talks about mental health, women in leadership, the importance of government and she looks back on the legacy of the carbon price implemented by her government ten years ago. Recorded live on 5 August as part of the Australia Institute's Economics of a Pandemic webinar series. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the...

In this episode we discuss if two Australian Ministers really need to travel to the United States for the AUSMIN talks in the midst of a global pandemic and also ask the question: how much does the ANZUS treaty really guarantee Australia's security? With Allan Behm, head of the Australia Institute's International and Security Affairs Program. www.tai.org.au Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of...

Author of the new book 'People without Power' Thomas Frank explains why everything you think you know about populism is wrong. [Note: language warning, a mild one] Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Wayne Swan // @SwannyQLD Ben Oquist // @BenOquist Thomas Frank // @thomasfrank_ Producer: Jennifer Macey Theme music: Jonathan McFeat from Pulse a...

As the pandemic interrupted global supply chains a lot of focus has shifted back onto Australia’s domestic manufacturing capabilities and what Australia has the capacity to make and manufacture onshore and research shows we're lagging behind. In this episode we talk about the opportunities for manufacturing and why it's vital to the economic success of any economy – including Australia’s. Host: Eb...

Some economists have renewed calls to lift restrictions and simply 'let it rip', that is to let Covid-19 rip through the population in order to protect the economy. But are economist the right people to ask about this? In this episode we explore the limits of economics with chief economist at the Australia Institute Richard Denniss. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute /...

In this episode, Richard Denniss and Matt Grudnoff, chief and senior economists at the Australia Institute unpack what you need to know about the Mini-Budget delivered by the Treasurer and answer your questions. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Inst...

The Morrison government announced it will cut the JobSeeker coronavirus supplement, which had lifted a whopping 425,000 people out of poverty. We talk to Matt Grudnoff, senior economist at the Australia Institute to understand the impact this cut will have on poverty rates, now that there are hundreds of thousands more unemployed people, as well as the impact on the wider economy. The Australia In...

As part of the National Treaties Summit, this episode we bust some of the myths about Sovereignty and Treaty and the relationship between the two with Jamie Lowe, Michael Mansell and Professor Megan Davis, in conversation with the Australia Institute's Richard Denniss. The National Treaties Summit, organised by ANTaR, the National Native Title Council, and the University of Melbourne. Recorded liv...

In this week's episode we explain how two changes to the rules of the National Electricity Market (NEM) will help reduce electricity bills, cut emissions, pave the way for more renewable energy and storage in the grid AND improve grid stability. It's win-win-win-win. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests...

Each election, tens of millions of dollars is spent on political advertising and currently it is perfectly lawful for political parties to lie to citizens in political ads. In today's episode we unpack why momentum is building to pass truth in political advertising laws before the next election. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Insti...

Australia's relationship with China is rocky at the moment, how can we navigate it better? Part of our 'Economics of a Pandemic' webinar series. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Jane Golley, economist and Director of the Australian Centre on China in the World, ANU // @golleyjane Allan Behm, head of International & Security Affairs progr...

If Australia had the same labour participation rate of Nordic countries, our economy would be $60 billion larger. In today's episode, we unpack why free childcare would not only be good for Australian women and their workforce participation, but would help grow the Australian economy too. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute //...

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are amongst the most vulnerable to the threat of Covid-19, but the Aboriginal-led community controlled health response has been a huge public health success. How did they do it? Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Lesley Nelson, CEO of South West Aboriginal Medical Service Professor Sandra Eades, Dea...

The Australia Institute's chief economist Richard Denniss launched The Reconstruction Memorandum, to step back and look at the big picture on how Australia can put people first and create an economic reconstruction that delivers lasting benefits as we recover from the Covid-19 recession. Visit tai.org.au for our latest pandemic economic research and analysis // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett...

The government's Homebuilder program is designed to help the construction sector, but construction is not labour intensive and it's dominated by blokes, when we know women are bearing the brunt of this recession. So this week Follow The Money talks to senior economist at the Australia Institute Matt Grudnoff, who explains why we could get better bang for our stimulus buck by targeting industries t...

Using war as a metaphor has crept into how we talk about public policy. Misrepresenting policy issues as security problems does not solve them, yet many public policy issues are framed using this lens. We’ve had a war on drugs, wars on poverty and wars on red tape, but Australia doesn't describe what’s has been happening in Yemen as a ‘war’. To discuss how ‘securitisation’ can turn problems into t...

Anyone familiar with Australian political debate will know that while we can always afford tax cuts and defence spending, somehow we can never afford to raise Newstart, or to build social housing because we have to “live within our means” and get back to a budget surplus as soon as possible. But that's not how the economy really works. We talked to Professor Stephanie Kelton about her new book “Th...

The PM has announced big plans for deregulation, but is 'red tape' or 'green tape' really impeding economic growth or is it necessary to protect us and our environment? In this episode we talk to Executive Director of the Australia Institute Ben Oquist about the protections offered by good regulation. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guest: Ben Oqui...

There can be no trust in government without accountability, yet its been two years since the Coalition government promised to implement a Commonwealth Integrity Commission and there's still no draft legislation in sight. Join Independent Member for Indi Helen Haines MP, and former Supreme Court Justices the Hon. David Harper AM QC and The Hon. Margaret White AO, both of whom are members of the Aus...