Serious Danger

Emerald Moon & Tom Ballard
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Jan 21, 2026 • 7min

Excerpt: Nationalise the pub? The left politics of alcohol

In this bonus episode for Patreon subscribers, Emerald and Tom talk booze! Emerald is straight edge and Tom is an occasional lush, how do they feel about alcohol in 2026? Why are young people drinking less - are they wowsers or just poor? Is it poor form to have alcohol at Greens events? What is the left position on the demon drink?---------- The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU  ---------- Links - Socialism and Temperance Reform -  in a 1908 edition of the Social Democrat https://www.marxists.org/archive/quelch/1908/01/temperance.htm  Flinders study: https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2025/10/07/drinking-through-the-generations/  2023 study https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.13709  Straight Edge: Hardcore Punk, Clean-living Youth, and Social Change by Ross Haenfler Produced by Michael Griffin Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Jan 17, 2026 • 1h 4min

209: Adelaide Writers Week & SA Election with Robert Simms, SA Legislative Council

Bond, Caleb Bond. Tom is joined by guest host Robert Simms, Greens member of the SA Legislative Council, to talk all things Festival State. First, the Adelaide Writers Week is cancelled after they cancelled the Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah’s appearance, which they have now uncancelled. What is going on? (9:15) Then, a look at the state of play in SA state politics and a prediction and call to action for the upcoming March election. (31:22) ---------- Just released on Patreon - Inside the Greens #11: Dual citizens, Trump & Gonski The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU  ---------- Support Robert Simms & the SA Greens - SA Office -Ph: 08 8212 4888saoffice@sa.greens.org.auhttps://greens.org.au/sa/person/robert-simms-0 https://www.facebook.com/RobertSimms84 https://www.instagram.com/robsimms84/   See Tom live -- Be Funny Challenge (Impossible) in Perth from 23rd https://comedy.com.au/tour/tom-ballard/ - Play at Midsumma, four shows from Jan 28th https://www.midsumma.org.au/whats-on/events/a-comprehensive-profoundly-queer-accounting-of-the-brief-yet-glorious-history-of-the-gay-lesbian-kingdom-of-the-coral-sea-islands-by-tom-ballard/ - At the ETTE Media Live show in Canberra, on Wednesday Feb 4th https://fane.com.au/whats-on/ette-media-live-its-a-no-from-me/  Theme by Kye HughesProduced by Michael Griffin https://www.instagram.com/mikeskillz  Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Jan 10, 2026 • 1h 18min

208: Venezuela, Royal Commission & Adelaide Festival with Jeff Sparrow

Getting on the grift with Drew Pavlou. Tom is joined by guest host Jeff Sparrow, Walkley award-winning journalist and writer and senior lecturer at the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne.America did a coup of Venezuela! (10:23) Albo announced a Royal Commission and Adelaide Festival cancelled itself! (44:34) Everything feels even more crazy! ---------- Just released on Patreon - Inside the Greens #11: Dual citizens, Trump & Gonski The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU  ---------- Follow Jeff Sparrow -https://x.com/Jeff_Sparrow https://scribepublications.com.au/books/crimes-against-nature  See Tom live -- Be Funny Challenge (Impossible) in Perth from 23rd https://comedy.com.au/tour/tom-ballard/ - Play at Midsumma, four shows from Jan 28th https://www.midsumma.org.au/whats-on/events/a-comprehensive-profoundly-queer-accounting-of-the-brief-yet-glorious-history-of-the-gay-lesbian-kingdom-of-the-coral-sea-islands-by-tom-ballard/  - At the ETTE Media Live show in Canberra, on Wednesday Feb 4th https://fane.com.au/whats-on/ette-media-live-its-a-no-from-me/  Theme by Kye HughesProduced by Michael Griffin https://www.instagram.com/mikeskillz  Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Jan 7, 2026 • 7min

Excerpt: Inside the Greens #11: Dual citizens, Trump & Gonski

Video version - https://youtu.be/FQzjNT6oVHM In this bonus series for Patreon subscribers, Tom and Emerald continue chapter 11 of author Paddy Manning’s epic history of the Australian Greens movement, “Inside The Greens: The Origins and Future of the Party, the People and the Politics.”First up some listener feedback on our Civil Duty recap episode. Then in this installment - Trump, the dual citizenship drama takes down Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, Gonski reforms bring out the schoolyard bullying, and #IStandWithLeeRhiannon. ---------- The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU  ---------- Links - Buy Inside The Greens - https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/inside-greens  Paddy Manning - https://twitter.com/gpaddymanning  Inside Inside The Greens - a rebuttal - https://www.inside-insidethegreens.com.au/  Produced by Michael Griffin Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Jan 3, 2026 • 1h 5min

UNLOCKED: Sean Kelly asks ‘What Does Labor Stand For?’

We will be back with regular episodes starting next week, but for now here is an unlock of a favourite bonus episode from our Patreon. Emerald is back! And joined by Tom to meet Sean Kelly, former Labor staffer and current journalist, to discuss his new Quarterly Essay, “The Good Fight: What Does Labor Stand For?” Are Labor cowardly cowards, or clever pragmatists who know how to play the game? What is Anthony Albanese actually up to? How can the Australian left movement get our own “Mamdani At Home”? Video version - https://youtu.be/bPC9bXjILTg ---------- The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU  ---------- Read Sean’s Quarterly Essay - https://www.quarterlyessay.com.au/essay/2025/11/the-good-fight  Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dec 27, 2025 • 49min

UNLOCKED: Is centrism killing us? ft. Richard Denniss

In honour of this strange week between Christmas and New Years, where nothing makes sense, what better time to talk centrism? In this unlock of a favourite Patreon bonus ep, Emerald and Tom are joined again by economist and Executive Director of The Australia Institute Dr Richard Denniss, to discuss his new essay ‘Dead Centre: How Political Pragmatism is Killing Us.’ This one is a cracker, almost an hour of insightful takes from your favourite progressive economist boyfriend. Enjoy, sickos! Video version - https://youtu.be/1431cfUUwDg ---------- The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over SEVENTY-FIVE past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU ---------- Follow Richard Denniss - https://australiainstitute.org.au/expert/richard-denniss/https://bsky.app/profile/richarddenniss.bsky.social  Read ‘Dead Centre: How Political Pragmatism is Killing Us’ out now in Vantage Point - https://australiainstitute.org.au/store/dead-centre-vantage-point-issue-2  Produced by Michael Griffin https://www.instagram.com/mikeskillz  Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dec 24, 2025 • 8min

Teaser: Civic Doodie - ‘Annabel Crabb's Civic Duty’ recap

Merry Christmas (?), as in this bonus episode for Patreon subscribers, we celebrate with Emerald and Tom by recapping Annabel Crabb’s latest frothy dive into Auspol, this time with Civic Duty, an ABC three-part series about the story of Australia’s voting system. Is Tom wrong to want it to go deeper? How can Penny Wong show her face in public after putting a dumb political party ahead of her own rights as a gay woman? What did we learn?---------- The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU  ---------- Links - Watch Civic Duty - https://iview.abc.net.au/show/annabel-crabb-s-civic-duty  Produced by Michael Griffin Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dec 20, 2025 • 1h 11min

207: Post-Bondi politics & Emerald on 2025

Video version - https://youtu.be/6VAHTndYDWg Emerald joins Tom to take a look at the aftermath of the horrific Bondi massacre (4:14), the community’s shock and the ways bad actors are exploiting it to push agendas. Then, a look at the year ahead and Emerald’s vibes for the Greens in 2025 (51:14). ---------- Just released on Patreon - Inside the Greens #11: DiNatale’s black skivvy & Senate voting reform The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU  ---------- Support Bondi victims - https://www.gofundme.com/en-au/c/act/bondi-beach-shooting-fundraisers Give blood -  https://www.allegraspender.com.au/bondi_attack  Greens National Supporters Survey - https://greens.org.au/magazine/your-survey-results-shaping-next-three-years  See Tom live on tour in Melbourne Fringe and Geelong - https://comedy.com.au/tour/tom-ballard/  Theme by Kye HughesProduced by Michael Griffin https://www.instagram.com/mikeskillz  Listen to Floodcast for more left green discussion about Aussie politics produced by The Griff -https://linktr.ee/floodcastau  Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dec 13, 2025 • 1h 16min

206 : Deepcut’s Alex McKinnon on Expenses Rorts & Social Media Ban

City councils vs cartoon watermelons. Tom is joined by guest host Alex McKinnon, co-founder of Deepcut News! First up, a politician expenses scandal has hit (23:52). Are these just distractions running from a template? And are Greens just as bad as the majors? Then, the under-16s social media ban hits (50:21). Will kids just instantly get around it? Why does breakfast radio continue to set the agenda in Aussie politics? Finally, a call to action (1:12:50). ---------- Just released on Patreon - Inside the Greens #11: DiNatale’s black skivvy & Senate voting reform The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU  ---------- Follow Alex and subscribe to Deepcut News -  https://www.deepcutnews.com/  Attend A Gathering for Gaza - https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/ed4a6b6c-2edc-4b3a-86f8-59fa6d09fcb3  See Tom live on tour in Melbourne Fringe and Geelong - https://comedy.com.au/tour/tom-ballard/  Theme by Kye HughesProduced by Michael Griffin https://www.instagram.com/mikeskillz  Listen to Floodcast for more left green discussion about Aussie politics produced by The Griff -https://linktr.ee/floodcastau  Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dec 10, 2025 • 8min

Bonus: Inside the Greens #11: DiNatale’s black skivvy & Senate voting reform

In this bonus series for Patreon subscribers, Tom and Emerald continue chapter 11 of author Paddy Manning’s epic history of the Australian Greens movement, “Inside The Greens: The Origins and Future of the Party, the People and the Politics.”In this instalment - Richard DiNatalie flirts with the mainstream, reform of Group Voting Tickets in the Senate, the 2006 election, Turnbull as PM, Batman and Grayndler, and left renewal renewal renewal renewal renewal. ---------- The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU  ---------- Links - Buy Inside The Greens - https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/inside-greens  Paddy Manning - https://twitter.com/gpaddymanning  Inside Inside The Greens - a rebuttal - https://www.inside-insidethegreens.com.au/  Produced by Michael Griffin Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau  https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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