Think Again

Jennifer and Jacques discuss what's really going on with the conflicts in Ukraine and the Pacific, beyond the fog of one-sided propaganda. This includes US and NATO military expansionism, as well as some major economic interests in play. Take action: https://disruptlandforces.org/References:G W Engdahl 2022, Europe's energy armageddon: From Berlin and Brussels, not MoscowH Middleton 2022, Beware t...

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the outsourcing of things that are traditionally done by government on the people's behalf. This has escalated over the last few decades with the neoliberal idea that the market does everything best. The consequences are corrosion of our democracy, and the incapacity of our government to respond to urgent issues of the day like pandemics, fires and floods. Meanwhile...

We have heard about the long-term effects of COVID, the mental health effects especially on children and those living on their own and we heard A LOT about how COVID affected businesses and the economy… less, of course, about the humongous profits made by some businesses BECAUSE of the COVID crisis – as we showed in our programs on the billion dollar profits of the vaccine ‘inventors’ and producer...

Jacques and Jennifer compare ways of thinking about democratic participation in decision-making - one from the more radical and more critical 1960s (Arnstein's Ladder), and the other from the neo-liberal present (the IAP2 scale). They discuss how Arnstein's Ladder takes power into account, particularly the lack of it in certain groups. In contrast, the current IAP2 scale presents itself as politic...

Jennifer and Jacques talk about our formal system of government and the Australian Constitution and what it means for democracy - if anything.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about our formal system of government and the Australian Constitution and what it means for democracy - if anything. Ref:Howard Zinn speaking on Alternative Radio

As Australia seems to be readying itself to - again - have a go at becoming a Republic, Jacques interviews Sandy Biar, National Director of the Australian Republic Movement. The conversation winds through some of the purposes of the ARM, some reflections on why the last attempt at becoming a Republic went awry and some beginning discussions about how our democracy could become a more genuine one a...

As counter to the one-eyed, drumming up of war in the mainstream media, Jennifer and Jacques talk about peace. What would peace look like? What would it take? They talk about a common security where people have jobs and wages they can live on, social protections, and a fair sharing of our common wealth. Jacques and Jennifer also also look at 'sovereignty' - moving from territorial notions used to...

Jacques and Jennifer wonder why we're lock-stepping with the US down its war-mongering path - not just relating to policy, but having US military operations on our shores and in our waters, and having interchangeable defence hardware. It seems that we are all hoodwinked by US propaganda with its supposed higher moral ground - and our mainstream media have completely dropped the ball. To provide so...

Jennifer talks with Pat McCafferty, Managing Director of Yarra Valley Water, and Kim Nguyen, a participant on YVW's Citizen's Jury. The guests tell how YVW entrusted big decisions about the future of water management to a representative  sample of community members. Aboriginal elders spoke to the jury several times about their relationship with water, which had a profound effect on jury members. F...

Jacques and Jennifer talk about ex-PM Scott Morrison's astonishing declaration that we shouldn't put our faith in governments - or the United Nations for that matter! They explore some of the implications of this, not least dropping the ball on climate change while he was in government.

Jennifer and Jacques re-visit the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and look at basic assumptions underpiniing the design of the scheme that set it on the wrong course from the beginning. They also argue for a type of evaluation that brings people who are  involved together at key points to review how the program is going and make the necessary changes. Reference:A lost Opportunity…? Dis...

Jennifer interviews Patrick O'Connor from the Committee for Public Education about the new wages and conditions deal for teachers in Victoria, brokered by the Australian Education Union. Among other things, Patrick explains how the wage rise is really a wage cut, as it is set way below the inflation rate. Apparently many teachers feel their interests have not been represented, and their widespread...

Matt Lloyd Cape from Per Capita talks about some of the findings from two recent studies of Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). He looks at the (economic) foundational model of the NDIS, which has had some dire consequences for people with disabilities, and for support workers participating in the scheme.

Consititutions have been in the news a lot lately, with the need to review our own one to enshrine a First Nations Voice to Parliament, and the recent decision by the US Supreme Court that laws supporting abortion rights are unconstitutional. Also, as discussed in the last program, Australia needs to change its constitution to become a republic. With all of this in mind, Jennifer and Jacques give...

The new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has re-opened the conversation about Australia becoming a republic, with the appointment of an Assistant Minister for the Republic. Jennifer and Jacques have a look at our current system of constitutional monarchy, and they comment on how different it is to the system we think we have. In our constitution, the monarch (the queen), represented by the Govern...

This program is part of 3CR's annual radiothon, to keep the station going without having to depend on corporate dollars or government favour. Past guests tell us why this is important through their various testimonials.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the economy and how it is controlled by sets of very powerful and wealthy monopolies and oligopolies. Examples of the dominance of a few wealthy corporations can be found in a range of sectors e.g. energy retailing (notably gas!), banking, social media, supermarket chains, mobile telecommunications, and internet provision. The presenters ask whether the concentratio...

Noongar author, Claire G Coleman, talks about creating change in Australia for Aboriginal people. She begins on an optimistic note with the ousting of the Liberals from federal government, and the rejection of policies and campaigning based on hate. On a hopeful note, the new PM has committed to a First Nations Voice to Parliament, to be enshrined in the constitution. While some think a treaty sho...

Jacques and Jennifer reflect on the recent federal election – a win for local grassroots democracy and diversity in parliament, and hope for doing something about climate change and government corruption.     It was great to see the Murdoch press stranglehold on our democracy loosened too.     Despite its blatant bias against Labor, the voting public made up its own mind.   Jennifer and Jacques sp...

Jacques talks with Melissa Willard and Tessa Stellar, members of the Harcourt Organic Farming Cooperative operating in Central Victoria; they revealed how they came to cooperative and organic farming, what it means for them, how they approach the 'community supported farming' practices they developed and what their hopes are for their local work and for the future of farming, food production and f...

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the war in Ukraine, particularly how the west has generated it as a proxy war with Russia - or at least as a ploy to deplete Russia as a force. This program is intended to remedy (to some extent) the outrageously one-sided account from our mainstream media. Refs:Jacques Baud - The military situation in the UkraineRAND Corporation - Extending Russia: Competing from a...

Jennifer and Jacques look at Australia’s fake two-party system of government (which has no formal or legal basis), and why we need to break out of it.    This is especially relevant in the run-up to the federal election, with Liberals becoming increasingly hysterical as independents gain favour in their electorates.    If no political party gains a majority in the House of Representatives (without...

Jacques and Jennifer look at the history of nuclear arms and nuclear strategy from the end of WW2 to the present, including US policies of ‘mass retaliation’, limited strike (SIOP), and ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’.     They refer to the current war in Ukraine, and criticise Australia’s strategy of following the US into global conflict rather than planning for peace.     NB: Listeners may also b...

Jennifer talks with Jack McLean from Equity Generation Lawyers who represented eight young climate activists taking a case to the Federal Court.   The activists argued that the Environment Minister, Sussan Ley, has a duty of care not to cause climate harm to young people when making decisions about fossil fuel projects.   Jack spoke about the initial decision in their favour on Think Again in earl...