Uncommon Sense

Professor Raina Macintyre talks about her new book on pandemics and biosecurity, Dark Winter: An Insider's Guide to Pandemics and Biosecurity. A world-leading epidemiologist and biosecurity expert Raina MacIntyre discusses the dangers of information warfare during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, as well as the history of biological attacks, lab accidents and epidemics, synthetic biology, and gai...

Professor Brendan Crabb AC, Director and CEO of the Burnet Institute, speaks directly and in-depth about the scientific reality of COVID-19 for everyone in Australia right now. Now in our fourth wave this year and with cases in the past week estimated at between 500,000 to 1 million (5 to 10 times the reported cases), what are the consequences of the unmitigated spread of COVID-19? What makes COVI...

Chris Wallace, from the Faculty of Business, Government, and Law at the University of Canberra, reflects on federal politics in 2022, after the last sitting of federal parliament came to a close. Chris discusses the passing of legislation on the federal anti-corruption body (NACC) and the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill, plus the censure of former PM Scott Morrison after the release of the Bell repor...

Dr Kevin Bonham, psephologist, polling analyst, and political commentator, drops by to discuss the Victorian state election polling figures thus far, the problem with Group Voting Tickets and preference harvesting, and why we should vote below the line in the Upper House. Writer, broadcaster, and musician, Sian Prior joins Amy to discuss her book, Childless, A Story of Freedom and Longing . It's a...

Writer, broadcaster, and musician, Sian Prior joins Amy to discuss her book, Childless, A Story of Freedom and Longing . It's about Sian's seven-year-long quest to become a mother, and how that failure affected every part of her emotional life. Sian explores how society could better support those who are childless not by choice, which has become an issue for a rising number of Australians. Content...

Russia and international security expert Dr Matthew Sussex gives us clarity on what is happening in Russia's war against Ukraine, the "worldview" of President Putin, the effect of Russia's withdrawal from Kherson on the war strategy of both sides, plus their use of munitions, drones, and more. Matthew is an Associate Professor at the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University and Senior Fellow a...

Historian Dr Emma Shortis from RMIT's EU Centre of Excellence stops by to talk about the latest in US politics, including the mid-term election results and the summit season currently underway and attended by world leaders. Acclaimed novelist, poet, and musician Gregory Day joins Amy to speak in-depth about his latest book, Words Are Eagles: Selected Writings on the Nature and Language of Place. G...

Professor Chris Wallace from the Faculty of Business, Government, and Law at the University of Canberra, talks about the latest in federal politics, including the Robodebt Royal Commission, Labor's IR Bill, the October budget, and much more. Journalist and filmmaker Karl Malakunas speaks in-depth about the volunteer environmental defenders risking their lives on the island of Palawan (Philippines)...

Journalist and filmmaker Karl Malakunas speaks in-depth about the volunteer environmental defenders risking their lives on the island of Palawan (Philippines) to save some of the most biodiverse forests and oceans in the world from illegal logging and fishing. The story of the Palawan NGO Network Inc's (PNNI) brave members and supporters is featured in Karl's award-winning enviro-thriller document...

Amy is joined by Thai cave rescue diver, retired veterinary surgeon, and 2019 Australian of the Year Craig Challen. Craig speaks of his fascinating experiences as a technical cave diver setting records and travelling around the world diving with his mate Dr Richard 'Harry' Harris. Craig also shares how their involvement in the famous Tham Luang cave rescue in northern Thailand has extended the cav...

Barkandji researcher and storyteller Zena Cumpston talks about indigenous plant use and the deep cultural significance of plants for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Zena also speaks in-depth about the ongoing effects of colonisation in institutions like universities and the ways in which Aboriginal knowledge has been treated as an "add-on" to the scientific study of plants and the ma...

Broadcaster and guest columnist for The Politics Jonathan Green talks all things federal politics. Award-winning climate scientist and writer Dr Joëlle Gergis, delves into her new book, Humanity's Moment: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope. Joëlle is an Australian Lead Author of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report and an advisor to the Climate Council...

Award-winning climate scientist and writer Dr Joëlle Gergis, delves into her new book, Humanity's Moment: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope. Joëlle is an Australian Lead Author of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report and an advisor to the Climate Council.

To mark the Geelong Football Club's 2022 AFL premiership win, we re-aired a special interview with former Vice-President of the Geelong Football Club Bob Gartland and Geelong Gallery Director Jason Smith. They discuss the history of Aussie rules football and the second oldest continuous sporting organisation in the world – the Geelong Football Club. Bob and Jason explore the inextricable link betw...

Historians Professor Michelle Arrow and Professor Frank Bongiorno speak about the disturbing new history wars, which have seen several of Australia's national cultural institutions suffer severe cumulative federal funding cuts over decades with damaging effects. For example, the National Library of Australia has taken an unprecedented step and closed access to its manuscript collections for seven...

Historian Dr Emma Shortis from RMIT stops by to discuss the latest in US politics and some of the major developments events in geopolitics. Cinematic legend and icon Jean-Luc Godard died at age 91 recently, so it was apt that Dr Andrew McGregor returned to delve deeply into the life and legacy of the revolutionary auteur. Andrew and Amy discuss the nouvelle vague movement that originated in the la...

Cinematic legend and icon Jean-Luc Godard died at age 91 recently, so it was apt that Dr Andrew McGregor returned to delve deeply into the life and legacy of the revolutionary auteur. Andrew and Amy discuss the nouvelle vague movement that originated in the late 1950s into the 1960s in France and Godard's prominent place within it. They explore the innovative film-making techniques and artistic ge...

Luke Henriques-Gomes, Guardian Australia's social affairs and inequality editor, speaks about his latest investigative reporting on the welfare system, especially the job services providers who profit from Australia's "mutual obligations" system. ABC radio host and former Triple R broadcaster Jacinta Parsons joins Amy for an in-depth discussion about her new book, A Question of Age: Women, ageing...

ABC radio host and former Triple R broadcaster Jacinta Parsons joins Amy for an in-depth discussion about her new book, A Question of Age: Women, ageing and the forever self. Jacinta asks, how do we adjust our perceptions of getting older? What does it mean to age as a woman? And what is our currency now? Jacinta's previous book is called, Unseen: The secret life of chronic illness.

Asia Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) Elaine Pearson chats about her memoir, aptly titled, Chasing Wrongs and Rights: My Experience Defending Human Rights Around the World. Elaine discusses her early career focusing on human trafficking and sexual slavery, all the way through to her time at HRW shining a light on human rights violations at home and across the world, including the Philippines a...

Tim Entwisle, Director and CEO of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and trained phycologist, joins Amy to speak about his life with plants, as detailed in his new book, Evergreen: The Botanical Life of a Plant Punk. Tim reflects on the role of botanic gardens in cities and around the world, his scientific passion for algae and taxonomy, and much more.

What's really causing inflation in Australia and will jacking up interest rates fix it? Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute explains Australia's current economic woes and demystifies the confusion and arguments around the role of the RBA, rising interest rates, increasing inflation, Stage 3 tax cuts, and low wages growth. Richard tells us exactly how these issues affe...

What's really causing inflation in Australia and will jacking up interest rates fix it? Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute explains Australia's current economic woes and demystifies the confusion and arguments around the role of the RBA, rising interest rates, increasing inflation, Stage 3 tax cuts, and low wages growth. Richard tells us exactly how these issues affe...

British musician and environmental activist Nick Mulvey joins Amy for a special in-depth conversation about his latest album, New Mythology . Nick explains how he's "always trying to explore the planetary through the personal" with his music. From his early years as a founding member of Portico Quartet to his solo career, Nick shares the many spiritual, cultural, musical, and environmental influen...

Nick Feik, former Editor of The Monthly , delves into the latest in federal politics with an incisive analysis of all the developments and questions arising from former Prime Minister Scott Morrison's ministerial power grab, including the complicity of those who knew, the role of the Governor-General, and much more.