The Grapevine

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with former chief scientist of Australia, Dr Alan Finkel AO, to discuss the challenges facing Australia reaching carbon neutral and to unpack the comprehensive roadmap he laid out in the  Quarterly Essay  ‘Getting To Zero, Australia’s Energy Transition’. Then, Crickey’s politics editor, Bernard Keane, wades through the muck seeping...

On this episode of The Grapevine, Dave Wells, CEO of Reclink, a charity that funds a variety of community recreation groups, gets on the line to discuss some of the plans and projects to support disadvantaged members of the community across Australia in 2021. And Dave Nichols returns to break down the contention between the Albert Park residents and the local school students accessing public parkl...

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Cam Walker, campaign organiser at Friends of The Earth to discuss the world-first trail of using Latrobe Valley coal to produce hydrogen for export to Japan . Walker unpacks the latest energy sector announcements, including Energy Australia’s decision to close the Yallourn power plant early, following the Hazelwood station’s de...

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja is joined by special guest co-host Judith Peppard for an International Women's Day edition of the program. They get on the line with Australian Council of Trade Unions President Michele O’Neil intersection of IWD and Labour day in 2021. O’Neil discusses the disparity between the value of industries comprising mostly women in the Australian economy, and the i...

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Executive Director of Per Capita Emma Dawson to breakdown the Coalition Government losing their working majority in the house, the $3.50-a-day increase to JobSeeker, the revelations of the Aged Care Royal Commission, and the expose of Canberra’s toxic culture. And, Don Weatherburn, Adjunct Professor at the University of New Sou...

On this episode of The Grapevine , Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Jeff Sparrow, Lecturer in the Centre for Advancing Journalism at Melbourne University, and long-time Triple R broadcaster, to break down the Facebook ban of Australian News media and the implications this conflict has for regulation of big tech globally. This development is a poignant reminder to source your news directly, so...

On this episode of The Grapevine Dylan and Kulja get on the line with Associate Professor in Pacific Studies at ANU, Katerina Teaiwa to break down what happened at the Pacific Island Forum and why one-third of the member nations have indicated they will walk away … Then, journalist and author Jo Chandler discuss her essay in the latest Griffith Review ‘ Tales from the frontline: The emotional impa...

On this episode of The Grapevine , Kulja and Dylan break down Victoria’s new rental laws coming into effect in 2021 with Professor of Housing and Social Policy at Swinburne University Wendy Stone. Then, ABC’s China correspondent Bill Birtles gets on the line to talk about the ‘Foreign Correspondent’ Hong Kong special on ABC TV ‘City of Fear’, and his coverage of China since he was forced to flee t...

On this episode of The Grapevine , Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Professor of History at La Trobe University Clare Wright to discuss her essay for Griffith Review 71, ‘Masters of the Future or heirs of the past? Mining, history and the right to know’. Wright explains why it’s crucial the mining industry work with First Australian communities to avoid incidents like the tragic detonation of...

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan get on the line with author, guardian columnist, and former RRR Breakfaster, Dr Jeff Sparrow to breakdown Australia’s diplomatic fallout with China, and the measures that need to be taken to forestall a looming trade-war. And, human rights lawyer and Executive Director of Refugee Legal, David Manne discusses the plight of refugees detained indefini...

On this episode of The Grapevine, Kulja and Dylan speak with journalist, author, and chief political correspondent of the  ABC’s  ‘7:30’, Laura Tingle about  her  Quarterly Essay ‘The High Road’. Tingle contrasts the two countries’ responses to socio-economic, and environmental circumstances to draw up some important lessons for Australian leaders. And Associate Professor Dave Nichols returns to b...

On this episode of  The Grapevine , how effective will Victoria’s $5.3 billion social housing project be for those threatened with, or experiencing homelessness? Dr Sarah Taylor & co-author Juliet Watson discuss the challenges of investing meaningfully, after their  new report  for RMIT’s Unison Housing Research Lab found social housing tenants are more likely to have experienced chronic, ofte...

On this episode of The Grapevine , Kulja and Dylan get on the line with Julie Sonnemann, Acting School Education Program Director at the Grattan Institute to discuss Victoria’s $250 million plan to help students who fell behind catch up on their education, and  her piece in  The Conversation  arguing what is necessary for the plan’s success. And, how does Australia  prosecute war crimes ? Rawan Ar...

On this episode of  The Grapevine , Dylan gets on the line with three-time Richmond Premiership player Bachar Houli to discuss his new memoir  ‘Bachar Houli: Faith, Football and Family’  co-written with broadcaster and writer Waleed Aly. Houli is most known for his strong adherence to Muslim values and has used his position to become the AFL’s leading voice for inclusion and tolerance. As World le...

On this episode of  The Grapevine , what does Australia’s growing economic ties with Asia mean for the US alliance? Dylan and Kulja get on the line with US writer and journalist Patrick Lawrence to discuss Australia’s future in Pacific region that he explores in his essay for  Australian Foreign Affairs ‘Goodbye America - the remaking of Asia’ . Then, as former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s petition...

Content Warning: This episode touches on some sensitive topics including mental health and family violence (beginning at the 14:04 mark and ending at 27:46 if you’d prefer to skip this). If anything you hear is distressing please reach out to someone who can help keep you safe. Or remember you can call  1800 respect  on 1800 737 732. On this episode of The Grapevine , as restrictions begin to ease...

On this episode of  The Grapevine , will the Northcote golf course  remain public parkland  as pandemic restrictions ease? Kulja is joined on the line by Associate Professor and Lecturer of Urban Planning at Melbourne University, David Nichols, to discuss the negotiations about future use of the Northcote golf course. Then, award winning author, climate activist, and academic, Dr Tony Birch discus...

Content Warning: this week's episode touches on some sensitive topics including suicide and mental health (beginning at the 40:42 minute mark if you'd prefer to skip this). If anything you hear is distressing please reach out to someone who can help keep you safe. Or, remember you can call  lifeline  at any time on 13, 11, 14.  On this episode of  The Grapevine , as local government elections go p...

On this episode of The Grapevine, As Australia mourns the deaths of feminist icons Susan Ryan and Helen Reddy , Dylan is joined by Mary Crooks, Executive Director of the Victorian Women’s Trust to reflect on the role these extraordinary women played in furthering gender equality, and their impact on Australian culture and society. And what does ‘populism’ actually mean? American political analyst,...

On this episode of  The Grapevine , Dylan and Kulja talk  accountability and integrity in government  with Paddy Manning, journalist and contributing politics editor at  The Monthly.  And the significance of the Federal Government’s announced  $4.5 billion upgrade to the NBN , ahead of the  upcoming release of the delayed budget . Then, as Indonesian President Joko Widodo enters his second term, D...

On this episode of The Grapevine , Kulja and Dylan break down why Australia is turning into one of the most ‘indebted countries in the world’ with investigative journalist Royce Kurmelovs as his new book Just Money paints a bleak picture of the influence of debt on Australia’s culture, politics, and society . And as the Victorian Government introduces a new offence that would see metropolitan Melb...

On this episode of The Grapevine, Sophie McNeill, Australia researcher for Human Rights Watch and Walkley Award winning investigative journalist, discusses the  Chinese Government’s long track record of human rights breaches , following a diplomatic standoff which saw the Australian Government aid in  the evacuation of the last Australian journalists in China . And following the Victorian Governme...

On this episode of  The Grapevine , as Victoria’s roadmap to ‘COVID normal’ is revealed, Dylan and Kulja get on the line with Independent Federal MP, Helen Haines to break down what’s happening with ‘border bubble’ issue in her seat of Indi, and discuss her push for a  Federal Integrity Commission. Then, will  Google and Facebook have to pay for news ? CEO of the Public interest Journalism Initiat...

On this episode of  The Grapevine , Kulja and Dylan explore the elitism of ‘branch stacking’ with Marija Taflaga. The Lecturer at ANU’s School of Political Science and International Relations breaks down  the implications of political corruption being symptomatic of a two-party system  in Australia’s democracy. Then, Journalist and author of ‘Peace Crimes’, Kieran Finnane, gives a glimpse behind t...

On this episode of The Grapevine , journalist Michael Green and Farhad Rafmati, a civil engineer and Iranian refugee currently in detention, give us a glimpse into the experiences of refugees detained in Australia with the Manus Recording Project Collective . Then, Grant Duncan, Associate Professor for the School of People, Environment and Planning at Massey University, breaks down what’s going on...