Share
Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny
The best bits
From Brexit Britain to Trump’s obsession with the stock market, and from era-defining infections to ideology vs interests, this week on Democracy Sausage Extra we look back over some of our favourite bits of the podcast from the last 18 months.
Why do some Brits have a ‘yearning for chaos’? Is it really ideology that drives government spending decisions? What do Donald Trump and stock market ‘day traders’ have in common? And how has disease defined human progress? These questions and many many more are answered on this week’s very special Democracy Sausage Extra. With Mark Kenny away, Martyn Pearce takes charge of the barbecue tongs as we take a look back at some of our favourite interviews over the last 18 months of The Sausage.
Kieran Gilbert is Chief News Anchor for Sky News, co-anchor of First Edition and anchor of AM Agenda on Sky News Live.
David Speers is an Australian journalist and outgoing Political Editor at Sky News Australia. He has been the host of PM Agenda, The Last Word, and Speers. Beginning in 2020, he now hosts ABC’s Insiders.
Brian Schmidt AC is Vice-Chancellor and President of The Australian National University. He was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Liz Allen is a demographer and social researcher with quantitative and qualitative expertise at The Australian National University and author of The Future of Us: Demography gets a makeover.
Stan Grant is the Vice Chancellor’s Chair of Australian/Indigenous Belonging at Charles Sturt University. He was formerly ABC’s Global Affairs and Indigenous Affairs Analyst.
Jim Chalmers has been the the Shadow Treasurer since 2019 and the Member for Rankin in the Australian Parliament since 2013.
Richard Denniss is Chief Economist and former Executive Director of The Australia Institute. He is a prominent Australian economist, author and public policy commentator, and former Associate Professor at Crawford School of Public Policy.
Ros Taylor is Research Manager for the LSE Truth, Trust & Technology Commission and Managing Editor of the LSE Brexit blog.
Bevan Shields is Europe Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He was previously Federal Editor and Canberra Bureau Chief.
Fintan O’Toole is one of Ireland’s leading political and cultural commentators. He is a columnist and writer for The Irish Times, the 2017 winner of both the European Press Prize and the Orwell Prize, and author of Heroic Failure: Brexit and the Politics of Pain.
Jonathan Swan is National Political Reporter for Axios, covering Republican leaders in the United States federal government and the White House.
Jane Golley is an economist and Director of the Australian Centre on China in the World at The Australian National University.
Marija Taflaga is Director of ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a lecturer in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Her major research is on political parties and particularly the Liberal Party of Australia.
Mark Kenny is a Professor in 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...
More episodes
View all episodes
Conservative cleavage
01:01:03|How long does Angus Taylor and the Liberal party have to redefine themselves in a changed electoral landscape? Can the major parties develop serious policy in the era of grievance politics? What is ‘cross-cutting cleavage’?With a new opposition leader and the return of Nationals to the shadow cabinet, Intifar Chowdhury and Richard Denniss join Democracy Sausage to discuss the rocky path ahead for mainstream conservative politics.Building social cohesion
58:23|What has fuelled grievance politics and anti-system sentiment in Australian politics? How does policy reform in housing and education build social cohesion and why are One Nation successful in harnessing voter discontent? How have policy settings created intergenerational inequity and will the ALP develop a significant reform agenda in this term, or next?Member for Reid, Sally Sitou joins Democracy Sausage to discuss her political journey, migration, grievance politics and areas of reform needed to improve social cohesion.Realignment of Australian Politics
54:33|How has the preferential voting system masked the decline of the major parties and why is the decline worse for the Liberals and Nationals? Can One Nation capitalise on the trend? How does ‘voter softness’ play out amongst the ‘aggrieved’,and what lessons are there from similar democracies?Social and political data scientist, Shaun Ratcliff joins Democracy Sausage to discuss new polling on the realignment of the Australian political landscape.Anatomy of a conservative crisis
48:08|What were the structural factors in the split of the coalition? How did the culture wars and deindustrialisation change the conservative base? Can the liberals regroup to become an effective opposition?Former federal politician, Jason Falinski joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the fractures within conservative politics, the challenges of opposition and the opportunity for Sussan Ley, and the Liberal Party in the wake of the dissolution.Conservative crisis
48:08|How did the politicisation of a national tragedy backfire for Sussan Ley? Can the coalition survive? Who will reign supreme in the fight for the right?With an early return to federal parliament, political scientist, Dr Jill Sheppard joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the politicisation of a tragedy and the deep divisions within the federal coalition and conservative parties in Australia.Politics remastered
01:04:13|National Affairs journalist, Jason Koutsoukis joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the year that was, an historic election victory, the vexed question of political authority, and declining trust in major parties.Will Albo develop a significant reform agenda in 2026 or will he stick to the modest election promises that delivered him a landslide election victory? Can Labour effectively manage a progressive Senate and will Democracy Sausage LIVE return in 2026?Jason Koutsoukis is a highly experienced and well-regarded Australian journalist with a strong background in both political and foreign correspondence. Marija Taflaga is the Director of the Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a senior lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is the Director of the Australian Studies Institute. He came to the Australian National University after a high-profile journalistic career culminating in 6 years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Albo's conservative ambition
55:44|Historian and author Frank Bongiorno joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the year that was, a landslide federal election victory, the rise of Teal and independent politicians and the split in the conservative Coalition.Will Labour grasp the reform ‘nettle’ and tackle complex structural issues facing Australia or will Albo take a small C approach to governing? Can the Liberal party survive in a new political landscape and are Australians getting the democratic system they deserve?Frank Bongiorno AM is an Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University, Donald Horne Professor and inaugural Director of the Centre of Public Ideas (COPI) at the University of Canberra.Dr 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 the Director of 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.Fighting the good fight?
59:21|Political journalist and author Sean Kelly joins Democracy Sausage to discuss his Quarterly Essay examining the Albanese government and asks what today's Labor actually stands for.Why has Labor become a graveyard of lost futures, discarding reform policies after political failures? Can Anthony Albanese's vision of 'kindness' translate into material policy? And has Labor's 94-member caucus become toxically obedient, failing to provide the internal opposition necessary for good government?Sean Kelly is a political journalist, author and former adviser to prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. His Quarterly Essay The Good Fight: What Does Labor Stand For? is the landmark 100th essay in the series, published by Black Inc.Dr 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 the Director of 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.Gas, gambling and governance
55:45|Independent ACT Senator David Pocock joins Democracy Sausage to challenge both major parties on climate policy, gambling reform and political transparency.Have gas companies captured both major parties on energy policy? Why won't Labor ban gambling advertising when 80% of Australians support it? And why do universities have governance structures that lack basic accountability mechanisms found in well-run companies?Senator David Pocock is an independent Senator for the Australian Capital Territory, elected in 2022 and re-elected in 2025.Dr 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 the Director of 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.