Follow The Money

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has repeatedly claimed Australia will meet its Paris commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030 'in a canter', but is this true? As we approach the next United Nations climate negotiations in the Polish town of Katowice, the Institute's director of Climate & Energy Richie Merzian and senior economist Matt Grudnoff unpack the myths and cut through the rhetoric. Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ten years ago, on September 15th 2008 the US investment bank - Lehman brothers collapsed - triggering panic on financial markets around the world and the start of what we in Australia call the Global Financial crisis. So what lessons were learnt? How appropriate was Australia's response? What is the political legacy of the GFC? And can it happen again? At the Australia Institute, we have been helping start a new conversation about what we can learn from the past and what we must do in the future.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Ben Oquist talks to John Hewson -- former Liberal leader, Professor at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and former member for Wentworth -- about climate change and Liberal party politics and Dr Hewson did not hold back. This episode is an excerpt of our Politics in the Pub event in Canberra on 12 September, following John Hewson's launch of Climate of the Nation 2018, a benchmark survey of Australian attitudes towards climate change that has been running for over 10 years.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Michelle Grattan joins Ben Oquist to discuss what's wrong with politics and how to fix it. This discussion, ranging from our current 'coup culture' to Julia Banks' resignation, was recorded at our Politics in the Pub event in Canberra. Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at The Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Contributors: Michelle Grattan, Chief Political Correspondent at The Conversation // @michellegrattanBen Oquist, Executive Director at The Australia Institute // @benoquist Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceySupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why, after 27 years of economic growth and a mining boom, how can Australia be too broke to afford high quality rape crisis services, or to increase Newstart above the poverty line? Today you'll hear the Australia Institute's Chief Economist Richard Denniss at the official launch of his June Quarterly Essay - Dead Right: how neoliberalism ate itself and what comes next. And a language warning - Richard drops the f-bomb about halfway through.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"the vast majority of the money being handed out is going to go to high income earners..." The Australia Institute was in the 2018 Budget Lockup, and subsequently have gone through the budget papers. Listen to two top economists break it down and give you the straight facts in a way that you won't hear from the pollies. >> Read the Australia Institute's full Budget Wrap 2018Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a special "Pocket Money" episode of Follow the Money, released on the eve of the Budget, we discuss the 14 reasons why the case for the company tax cuts collapsed. See below for all the ways you can find our Budget analysis.  Our original episode discussing the company tax cuts can be found here. Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Burning something to boil water to create steam is a really old-fashioned technology..." The Australia Institute has spent the hot summer days monitoring when gas and coal power plants trip, taking sometimes hundreds of megawatts of power from the grid at unpredictable times. In contrast, solar power is taking pressure of the grid by delaying peak demand by several hours on days of extreme heat. Read Mark Ogge's report Can't stand the heat.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Affluenza is that strange desire we feel to spend money we don't have to buy things we don't need to impress people we don't know . . ." A truly modern affliction, affluenza is endemic in Western societies, encouraged by those who profit from a culture of exploitation and waste. So how do we cure ourselves? In today's episode Ebony talks to Chief Economist Richard Denniss about why we must distinguish between consumerism and materialism. Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Korean missile tests, resolving the South China Sea issues, ethnic cleansing in Myanmar - there is a lot happening in the defence and security policy space right, but are we engaged enough to tackle these problems in a smart way? Dr Andrew Carr of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the ANU has written a new report for the Australia Institute I'm here for the argument: why bipartisanship on security makes Australia less safe.  Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.