Follow The Money

In this episode we unpack what a Biden Administration means for climate and foreign policy in Australia, with Richie Merzian and Allan Behm.Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Richie Merzian, director Climate & Energy Program // @richiemerzianAllan Behm, director International & Security Affairs program // @mirandaprorsusProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music is by Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's news media is one of the most highly concentrated in the world. Since 2019, more than 157 newsrooms have closed in Australia and many local, community and rural newspapers have ceased printing or gone digital only. It was in this climate that in 2018 the federal government tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to undertake a digital platforms inquiry to measure the impact of the major digital platforms Google and Facebook on Australian news businesses. The ACCC recommended a mandatory media bargaining code for digital platforms to ensure that Australian news organisations are paid for original journalistic content which is shared on the digital platforms. Google and Facebook responded by warning its users about the code and Facebook threatened to block Australian content and users. In this episode the Chair of the ACCC, Rod Sims talks with The Australia Institute's Chief Economist Richard Denniss about the mandatory code and the fight he's taken to the global digital giants. This episode was recorded live on 17 September, 2020. The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Rod Sims, Chair ACCC, // Richard Denniss, Chief Economist The Australia Institute @RDNS_TAI // Producer: Jennifer Macey Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum Additional Music: Epidemic SoundSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ACT is the home of progressive politics in Australia, leading the nation on climate policy, tax reform and truth in political advertising (among other things). In this episode we explore the broader implications of the ACT election results - which saw a swing to the Greens, a swing against the Liberals and the Labor government re-elected for an historic sixth term, along with why leaders like NZ PM Jacinda Ardern might pursue cooperative government, rather than majority government.Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuest: Ben Oquist, executive director of the Australia Institute // @BenOquistProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music is by Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we explain what 'not for publication' (or 'nfp') means and why it appears so often in the Budget papers, with Australia Institute research director Rod Campbell.www.tai.org.auHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Rod Campbell // @R_o_d_CProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music is by Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal budget forked out billions in spending -- mostly on business tax write-offs and income tax cuts for high income earners -- but it was poorly targeted if the intention is to create jobs and lower the unemployment rate. In his episode economists Matt Grudnoff and Alison Pennington unpack what you need to know about debt and deficit, income tax cuts, JobMaker, JobBuilder, JobKeeper, manufacturing, infrastructure and how women and young people will miss out.avoidance and why it's damaging to the community with our chief economist Richard Denniss.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Matt Grudnoff, senior economist at the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoffAlison Pennington, senior economist at the Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work // @ak_penningtonProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump paid just $750 in federal income tax the year he was elected and in many years paid absolutely no income tax at all - and he's not the only millionaire to avoid paying tax altogether. So this week we're talking tax avoidance and why it's damaging to the community with our chief economist Richard Denniss.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Richard Dennis, chief economist at the Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gas is promoted as a transitional fuel, but in this episode we explore just how polluting gas really is with Richie Merzian and Tom Swann from the Australia Institute's Climate & Energy program.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Richie Merzian, Climate & Energy Director at the Australia Institute // @RichieMerzianTom Swann, senior researcher at the Australia Institute // @tom_swannProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has indicated it might bring forward income tax cuts in next month's budget, but as our senior economist Matt Grudnoff explains in this episode, income tax cuts for high income earners won't be effective at stimuluating the economic. The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Matt Grudnoff, senior economist at the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoffProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music: Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and Thrum.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fight for Planet A is the newest TV series from Craig Reucassel, a three-part documentary exploring the challenges of climate change, where our energy comes from, the health effects of transport and the carbon footprint of what we eat. It offers practical solutions for people to implement at home but as Craig points out, action on climate change by householders is not enough. Governments and big corporate giants also have to do their bit. But the picture looks grim. Australia is among the world's top 20 polluters and when you factor in emissions from coal and gas exports that are shipped overseas our carbon footprint triples. Yet as part of its Covid Economic plan, the government is planning a gas-led recovery. Recorded live on September 9, 2020 as part of The Australia Institute's Webinar of a Pandemic series. The Australia Institute @theAusInstitute //Host and Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Guests: Craig Reucassel @craigreucassel // Richie Merzian Climate & Energy Director at the Australia Institute @richiemerzian // Leanne Minshull Director The Australia Institute Tasmania @leanneminshull. Music: Pulse and Thrum.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For over eighty years, Australia and East Timor have been joined together, mostly in conflict and struggle. The latest conflict is playing out in a secret court case and involves Australian lawyer Bernard Collaery and a former ASIS officer turned whistleblower Witness K. Both have been accused of communicating protected intelligence information after disclosing an Australian bugging operation carried out in the government offices of Timor Leste in 2004. After an ACT Supreme Court ruling, significant parts of the trial against Collaery will be held in secret, which legal experts warn as the "gravest threats to freedom of expression". New Australia Institute research shows that of all the Five Eyes countries, Australia’s oversight of its intelligence communities is the weakest. In this podcast recording from our live webinar series we are privileged to have one of the key figures in Timor Leste’s fight for independence and former Timor Leste President, José Ramos Horta. He was co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996, and survived an assassination attempt in 2008. We are also privileged to welcome Bernard Collaery along with Allan Behm, head of the Australia Institute’s International and Security Affairs Program. As this matter is currently before the courts, and Bernard is subject to suppression orders, there are some limitations on the discussion which was recorded live on 2 September as part of the Australia Institute's Economics of a Pandemic Webinar series.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Prize Laureate and former President of Timor Leste, Bernard Collaery, Barrister and former Attorney-General of the ACT, Allan Behm, head of the Australia Institute's International and Security Affairs Program // @MirandaprorsusProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.