Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny

Peter van Onselen joins our discussion on the first year of the Albanese government on the 250th episode of Democracy Sausage.How does the first year of the Albanese government compare to that of its predecessors? Can Labor build a case for major reform over time or, facing a weakened opposition after the 2022 election, do they risk letting the opportunity slip away if they don’t act now? And will Labor run a candidate in the Fadden by-election following Stuart Robert’s retirement? On the 250th episode of Democracy Sausage, academic and former journalist Professor Peter van Onselen joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss what comes next for the federal government.Peter van Onselen is a Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the University of Western Australia and a columnist for The Australian.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

Demographer Liz Allen and social policy expert Ben Phillips join us to discuss the budget's impact on struggling Australians and the politics of the population debate.What impact will the modest increases to the JobSeeker payment and other benefits have on the lives of people who are doing it tough? Is the federal government doing enough to build the case for more substantial increases in social security spending? And should people be concerned about the impact of a growing population on infrastructure? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Liz Allen and Associate Professor Ben Phillips join Professor Mark Kenny to discuss the politics of population and the case for a stronger safety net.Liz Allen is a demographer and social researcher at the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences and the author of The Future of Us: Demography gets a makeover.Ben Phillips is an Associate Professor and a Principal Research Fellow at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods.Mark Kenny is a Professor at the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

Miranda Stewart and Peter Martin join Mark Kenny to fire up the barbecue for a sizzling post-budget Democracy Sausage special.The budget may be back in black - albeit briefly - but with a $40 per fortnight JobSeeker increase falling far short of what many experts are calling for, are vulnerable Australians going to slip further into the red? In response to the growing spending pressures on the budget, will the government have a serious conversation about tax reform? And will that extend to altering - or even ditching - the controversial stage three tax cuts, despite supporting them in opposition? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Miranda Stewart and Peter Martin join Professor Mark Kenny to pore over the Albanese government’s second budget in office.Miranda Stewart is a Professor of Law at the University of Melbourne Law School, where she is Director of the Tax Group, and a Fellow at the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Peter Martin AM is a Visiting Fellow at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and the Business and Economy Editor of The Conversation.Mark Kenny is a Professor at the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.