Follow The Money

The government’s proposed changes to freedom of information laws represent a “serious attack” on Australia’s democracy, according to former Senator Rex Patrick. On this episode of Follow the Money, transparency advocate Rex Patrick and Australia Institute Democracy & Accountability Director Bill Browne to discuss the failing freedom of information system and why the proposed changes could make government less transparent – not more. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Rex Patrick, former Senator for South Australia // @mrrexpatrick Guest: Bill Browne, Democracy & Accountability Director, the Australia Institute // @browne90 Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Proposed changes to Freedom of Information scheme don’t add up, the Australia Institute (September 2025) Transparency Summit 2024, the Australia Institute Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With large language models threatening to swamp Australia’s traditional media, a little bit of government funding could go a long way to protect public interest journalism. On this episode of Follow the Money, Clive Marshall, former CEO of the Press Association (UK), and Emma Cowdroy, Acting CEO of Australian Associated Press, join Australia Institute Executive Director Richard Denniss to discuss artificial intelligence and the news. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website. Keep up with everything that’s happening at the Australia Institute by subscribing to our newsletter. Guest: Clive Marshall, former Chief Executive Officer, The Press Association (UK) Guest: Emma Cowdroy, Acting CEO, Australian Associated Press Host: Richard Denniss, Executive Director, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Media and Democracy, the Australia Institute Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The colossal price rises on the east coast, brought on by excessive gas exports, have been a disaster for Australian manufacturers and households. On this episode of Follow the Money, manufacturing industry representative Geoff Crittenden and Australia Institute Principal Advisor Mark Ogge join Ebony Bennett to discuss how governments can ensure there’s more gas available for Australians. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Geoff Crittenden, Chief Executive Officer, WELD Australia Guest: Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor, the Australia Institute // @markogge Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Impact of gas exports on Australian energy prices, the Australia Institute (July 2025) Big gas is taking the piss, Follow the Money (April 2025) Submission to the Gas Market Review, the Australia Institute (August 2025) Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister hosed down expectations ahead of the economic roundtable, but a serious reform package must include changes to tax policy. On this episode of Follow the Money, Senior Economist Matt Grudnoff joins Ebony Bennett to discuss the Government’s economic roundtable, why taxing wealth more effectively would make Australians better off, and why removing as-yet-unnamed ‘red tape’ isn’t going to fix productivity. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website. You can listen to Dollars & Sense each week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Three ways Australia can tax wealth better by Dave Richardson and Matt Grudnoff, the Australia Institute (August 2025) The problem with productivity, Dollars & Sense (August 2025) Gary's Economics on Australia, Punter’s Politics on YouTube (August 2025) Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The search for the “sensible centre” in Australia politics is pointless and flies in the face of evidence, says Richard Denniss. On this episode of Follow the Money, Richard Denniss joins Ebony Bennett to discuss why the constant search for the centre ground doing Australians harm, why bipartisanship can actually be bad, and his new essay, Dead Centre. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Richard Denniss, Executive Director, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: A chance to be brave: understanding Australia’s election result, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (May 2025) Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Gaza to AUKUS, pressure for change is building on Australian foreign policy. On this special crossover episode of Follow the Money and After America, Dr Emma Shortis joins Glenn Connley to discuss the Australian protests calling for more action to protect Palestinians, the momentum against the troubled AUKUS submarine pact, and Trump’s decision to fire his chief of labour statistics after job growth slowed. This discussion was recorded on Monday 4 August 2025. You can sign our petition calling on the Australian Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Host: Glenn Connley, Senior Media Advisor, the Australia Institute // @glennconnley Show notes: ‘Right moment’? Australia risks losing power and respect on Gaza by Amy Remeikis, The New Daily (August 2025) Palestinian statehood vote at Victorian Labor conference heaps more pressure on PM by Benita Kolovos, Guardian Australia (August 2025) Polling – AUKUS, the Australia Institute (June 2025) Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly three decades after the Port Arthur massacre, there are more guns than ever before in Australia and there is still no national firearms register. On this episode of Follow the Money, Alice Grundy and Skye Predavec join Ebony Bennett to discuss how the Howard Government’s brave reforms in the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre are falling short of its aims – and what federal, state and territory governments can do to keep Australians safe. 1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, chat online or video call via their website. Correction: This podcast was updated to remove a reference to buying firearms and ammunition interstate when there is a limit on the licence, which does not appear in our research. What is possible is for a licence-holder to buy firearms and travel to another state. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Alice Grundy, Research Manager and Managing Editor, the Australia Institute // @alicektg Guest: Skye Predavec, Anne Kantor Fellow, the Australia Institute // @skyelark Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Australian gun control: 29 years after Port Arthur by Rod Campbell, Skye Predavec and Alice Grundy, the Australia Institute (May 2025) Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tasmanians have returned another power-sharing parliament – it’s now up to the major parties to make it work. Australians have elected power-sharing parliaments in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania – and a single party almost never has a majority in the federal Senate. On this episode of Follow the Money, Leanne Minshull and Eloise Carr join Ebony Bennett to discuss why collaborative parliaments are popular and how our elected officials can make them work. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Leanne Minshull, Strategy Director, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull Guest: Eloise Carr, Director, the Australia Institute Tasmania // @eloise-carr Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Power & Partnership: What will Tasmania’s next power-sharing parliament look like?, the Australia Institute (July 2025) GST Reform: How to stop the states being short-changed, the Australia Institute (July 2025) Polling – Tasmania power-sharing, the Australia Institute (July 2025) Whether for or against the stadium, Tasmanians overwhelmingly feel dudded by the AFL – poll, the Australia Institute (June 2025) Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy Remeikis and Matt Grudnoff preview the first parliamentary sitting week. On this episode of Follow the Money, Amy Remeikis and Matt Grudnoff join Ebony Bennett discuss the political relevance of the housing crisis, the storm-in-a-teacup over some Treasury subheadings, and #NotAllEconomists. You can sign our petition calling on the Australian Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Amy Remeikis, Chief Political Analyst, the Australia Institute // @amyremeikis Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: “Mugged by reality”: Australia’s AUKUS disaster with Malcolm Turnbull, After America (June 2025) RBA moves goalposts and keeps rates on hold, Dollars & Sense (July 2025) Raising revenue right: Better tax ideas for the 48th Parliament by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (March 2025) Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By limiting generous tax concessions for the wealthy and collecting revenue from Australia’s natural resources, the Government could fund health and education systems that work properly. On this episode of Follow the Money, Matt Grudnoff joins Ebony Bennett discuss Government’s productivity agenda, why the GST is failing to do the job it was designed for, and how 91 millionaires managed to pay no tax. Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: The huge cost to states budgets of failing GST, the Australia Institute (July 2025) Raising revenue right: Better tax ideas for the 48th Parliament by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (March 2025) Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.