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Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny
The politics of a promise
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.
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Saying yes to change with Pat Dodson
53:13On this episode, Senator Pat Dodson joins us to talk about the Voice, why it’s important for improving outcomes for First Nations people and the consequences for the country if the amendment fails. Why is a Voice to Parliament, rather than constitutional recognition alone, the proposal being put to the Australian people at this referendum? What would be the process to design the legislation, should the amendment be agreed to on 14 October? And what would the failure of this proposal mean for Australia, both domestically and in its international relations? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, reconciliation leader Senator Pat Dodson joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the case for the Voice to Parliament and the possible consequences for the nation if the proposal fails. Pat Dodson is a Yawuru man from Broome, the Chair of Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and a Senator for Western Australia. 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.Daniel Andrews, the master of lounge room politics
46:25We discuss the resignation of Daniel Andrews and boundaries for bureaucrats on this episode of Democracy Sausage. How did former Victorian leader Daniel Andrews gain a national profile like few premiers before him? Where should the line be between bureaucrats and politics? And can the Yes campaign turn public opinion around before referendum day? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Marija Taflaga and Professor Mark Kenny discuss Daniel Andrews’ political legacy, the inquiry into senior public servant Michael Pezzullo and the state of the Voice campaign. 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. The following was mentioned during this episode: Noel Pearson addresses the National Press Club of Australia, ABC News on YouTube, September 2023 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.The “horrible irony” of the Voice campaign
56:20Author and academic Julianne Schultz joins Mark and Marija to discuss the media coverage of the Voice campaign and the importance of understanding Australia’s history. What impact has the Coalition’s decision to oppose the Voice to Parliament had on the media’s coverage of the referendum? Why has the debate around the Voice not led to a deeper discussion about Australian history? And how has the No campaign seemingly chipped away at broad public support for the Voice over recent months? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Griffith University Emeritus Professor Julianne Schultz joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the public discomfort around engaging with Australian history and the Voice campaign so far. Julianne Schultz is an Emeritus Professor of Media and Culture at Griffith University, a columnist for The Guardian and the author of The Idea of Australia: A search for the soul of the nation. 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. The following publications were mentioned during this episode: Marcia Langton: Welcome to Country (2nd edition) by Marcia Langton This Is Not Propaganda by Peter Pomerantsev The Idea of Australia by Julianne Schultz 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.Is Putin losing his grip on power?
53:21Russia expert Derek Hutcheson joins us to discuss the reasons for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political longevity and whether his power is finally on the slide. What impact did the economic chaos in Russia in the decade leading up to Vladimir Putin’s ascension to the presidency have on his political career? Will the suspicious death of his former ally Yevgeny Prigozhin have an impact on Putin’s ability to keep Russia’s powerful elites onside? And will it be generational change rather than a coup that brings about a major realignment in Russian politics? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Derek Hutcheson joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss sources of Putin’s political power and the impact of the disastrous, illegal war on Ukraine on his standing in Russia. Derek Stanford Hutcheson is a visiting Russia specialist at The Australian National University (ANU) and a Professor of Political Science and Vice-Dean at Sweden’s Malmö University. 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.Hangovers and hard landings
44:20Researchers Nicholas Biddle and Intifar Chowdhury join us to discuss the impact of the inflation crisis on Australians’ wellbeing and their attitudes to politics.What impact is inflation and rising interest rates having on the financial and psychological wellbeing of Australians? With over 30 per cent of people finding it difficult to get by on their current income, are voters likely to start pointing the finger at the current government for the state of the economy? And will the tougher economic times affect people’s attitudes during the Voice referendum campaign? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Nicholas Biddle and Dr Intifar Chowdhury join Professor Mark Kenny to discuss the economy, how its affecting political attitudes and the findings of the latest ANUpoll.Nicholas Biddle is an Associate Director and Professor at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods.Intifar Chowdhury is a political scientist and Associate Lecturer 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.The echidna strategy with Sam Roggeveen
46:11Sam Roggeveen from the Lowy Institute joins us on this episode of Democracy Sausage to discuss Australia’s search for power and peace in the Indo-Pacific.What is Australia’s biggest asset when it comes to defending against a rising China? Have the economic arguments made in favour of AUKUS been over-egged by the federal government? And how far should Australia go to protect Taiwan’s democracy? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program Sam Roggeveen joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss Australia's security, the AUKUS deal and his new book, The Echidna Strategy.Sam Roggeveen is Director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program and author of The Echidna Strategy: Australia’s Search for Power and Peace.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.The Voice with Megan Davis and George Williams
50:35Megan Davis and George Williams join Mark Kenny live on campus to talk about Australia’s constitution and their new book, Everything you need to know about the Voice.Some critics of the Voice argue it would “introduce race” into the constitution, but is racial discrimination in fact a significant factor in the document and its history? Has the government dropped the ball by not running a civic education campaign in the lead-up to the referendum? And why is Australia’s colonial history not better understood by the broader population? On this special episode of Democracy Sausage, recorded live on campus at The Australian National University (ANU), Professor Megan Davis and Professor George Williams AO join Professor Mark Kenny to talk about the upcoming referendum and their new book, Everything you need to know about the Voice.This episode was recorded live as part of the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author series on 7 August 2023. Everything you need to know about the Voice was published by UNSW Press.Megan Davis is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Society), the Balnaves Chair of Constitutional Law, a Professor of Law and the Director of the Indigenous Law Centre at UNSW.George Williams AO is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Assurance), the Anthony Mason Professor and a Scientia Professor of Constitutional Law at UNSW.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.Saying the quiet part out loud
52:29Frank Bongiorno and Liz Allen join us to discuss the political challenges facing the Labor Party in the wake of its national conference and the upcoming Intergenerational Report.How damaging is internal criticism within the Labor Party around the leadership’s positions on issues like AUKUS and climate change? How has Anthony Albanese adapted as a leader on the path to the prime ministership and while in office? And what might the next Intergenerational Report reveal about who we are and where we’re going as a nation? Historian Professor Frank Bongiorno and demographer Dr Liz Allen join Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga this week for a sizzling episode of Democracy Sausage.Frank Bongiorno AM is an Australian labour, political and cultural historian and Professor of History at The Australian National University (ANU).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.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.Labor’s AUKUS moonshot with Bob Carr
51:56Former foreign minister Bob Carr joins Mark Kenny to talk about AUKUS, Julian Assange and the Australian government’s language around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ahead of the Labor Party’s national conference.Is Australia acting against its own national interests through the AUKUS deal and other defence agreements being struck with the United States? Should the Albanese government be more vigorous in its support for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange? And what is the prospect of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, former Labor foreign minister the Hon Bob Carr joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss Australian foreign policy in the lead-up to the Labor Party’s national conference.The Hon Bob Carr is a former Australian foreign minister, former New South Wales premier and Industry Professor (Business and Climate Change) at the University of Technology Sydney.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.