With housing affordability at an all-time low and the spectre of Trump looming large over our region, Australians’ standard of living will be at the heart of the debate from now until election day. On this episode of Follow the Money, Australia Institute economists Matt Grudnoff and Jack Thrower join Ebony Bennett to discuss the Australian economy and the federal election campaign. This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 1 April 2025 and things may have changed. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff Guest: Jack Thrower, Research Economist, the Australia Institute // @jack-thrower Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Raising revenue right: Better tax ideas for the 48th Parliament by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (March 2025) Fuel excise cut: bad policy and not worth as much as advertised by Matt Grudnoff and Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (March 2025) Housing affordability crisis – Saving for a deposit forever by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (March 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.

The Government’s proposed environmental law changes are an attack on our democracy and could benefit destructive industries far beyond Tasmania’s coastal ecosystems. On this episode of Follow the Money, Ebony Bennett discusses the Government’s efforts to weaken the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act with Australia Institute Executive Director Dr Richard Denniss and Strategy Director Leanne Minshull. This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 25 March 2025 and things may have changed. Sign our petition calling on the Government not to gut Australia’s environment laws. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Richard Denniss, Executive Director, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss Guest: Leanne Minshull, Strategy Director, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Small Fish, Big Pond: Tasmanian salmon industry job numbers & tax payments, the Australia Institute (November 2023) ‘Salmon spin and pollution all a bit fishy’ by Eloise Carr and Rob Campbell, The Mercury (December 2024) 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.

Chunks of dead salmon have washed up on Tasmanian beaches and the Maugean skate is at risk of extinction, so why won’t governments to more to rein in the salmon industry in Tasmania? On this episode of Follow the Money, Eloise Carr, Director of the Australia Institute Tasmania, the Federal Government’s dangerous proposal to get around Australia’s already inadequate environmental protections and why salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour needs to end. This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 19 March 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Sign our petition to end salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Eloise Carr, Director, the Australia Institute Tasmania // @eloise-carr Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Bombshell FOI reveals fish farms have been inadequately assessed for impact on threatened species and World Heritage, the Australia Institute (March 2025) Australians must be protected from diseased salmon, the Australia Institute (February 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.

The public sector is under fire, but is it really as inefficient as DOGE and Dutton claim? On this episode of Follow the Money, Dr Fiona Macdonald, Acting Director at the Centre for Future Work, joins Glenn Connley to discuss Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, Peter Dutton’s plan to axe public service jobs, and why the private sector generally doesn’t deliver better public services. This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 12 March 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Fiona Macdonald, Acting Director, Centre for Future Work // @drfionamac Host: Glenn Connley, Senior Media Advisor, the Australia Institute // @glennconnley Show notes: Briefing Paper: Restoring public sector capability through investment in public service employees by Lisa Heap, the Centre for Future Work (February 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.

Polls point to a power-sharing government being the most likely outcome at the upcoming federal election, but how do they actually work? Independent Senator David Pocock and Tony Windsor AM, former independent parliamentarian who held the balance of power during the Gillard minority government, join Amy Remeikis to discuss how they negotiate with the major parties, the growth of the independent and minor party vote, and why there’s so much fearmongering about minority governments in Australia. This discussion was recorded live on Wednesday 26 February 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Senator David Pocock, Independent Senator for the Australian Capital Territory // @davidpocock Guest: Tony Windsor AM, former Independent Member for New England // @TonyHWindsor Host: Amy Remeikis, Chief Political Analyst, the Australia Institute // @amyremeikis Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Power sharing in Australian parliaments by Bill Browne and Richard Denniss, the Australia Institute (July 2024) Electoral Reform Bill analysis by Bill Browne and Joshua Black, the Australia Institute (February 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.

For communities in Tuvalu and Kiribati, climate change isn’t an abstract threat – it’s having a real-time impact on their lives and culture. On this bonus episode of Follow the Money, Walkley Award-winning journalist Stephen Long speaks to three young climate advocates about the impact of climate change in Tuvalu and Kiribati, their dismay at the continued expansion of fossil fuels by Australia and other developed nations, and how they are fighting for the future of their societies. Subscribe to Between the Lines, the Australia Institute’s fortnightly newsletter. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Gitty Yee, Communications Officer, Tuvalu Climate Action Network Guest: Aselu O’Brien, Draughtsman, Lands and Survey Department, Government of Tuvalu Guest: Robert Karoro, National Coordinator, Kiribati Climate Action Network Host: Stephen Long, Stephen Long, Senior Fellow and Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute // @StephenLongAus Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: Neighbour from hell – A Pacific plea to Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton, Pacific Elders’ Voice (December 2024) ‘As the Coalition goes nuclear, Labor is free to ensure fossil fuels are burned with abandon and little scrutiny’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (June 2024) 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.

By laying off tens of thousands of federal employees, challenging the authority of judges and throwing erstwhile allies under the bus, the Trump administration is radically reshaping America and its role in the world. On this episode of Follow the Money, Dr Emma Shortis and Ebony Bennett discuss Trump’s efforts to “rinse” Ukraine for its resources, the administration’s moves to dismantle significant portions of the Federal Government, and how the Australian Government can use its significant bargaining power to push back against the American President. This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 25 February 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Subscribe to After America now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis  Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Money Talks: The Australia-America Economic Relationship – Where From and Where To by Joey Herlihy, the Australia Institute (August 2023) ‘How Many Federal Workers Have Lost Their Jobs?’, New York Magazine (February 2025) ‘Dems "pissed" at liberal groups MoveOn, Indivisible’ by Justin Green and Andrew Solender, Axios (February 2025) Hostile Government Take Over (EDM Remix) @AGiftFromTodd, Vinny Marchi on YouTube (February 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.

The Reserve Bank has cut interest rates for the first time since November 2020 – so is the Australian economy out of the woods? On this crossover episode of Follow the Money and Dollars & Sense, Greg Jericho and Ebony Bennett discuss what’s going on with inflation, the performance of the Reserve Bank and whether the Government deserves the credit for setting the economy on a better course. This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 19 February 2025 and things may have changed since recording.  Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.  Guest: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes:  Corporate profits increase inflation, the Australia Institute (December 2024) 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.

We discuss Trump’s new tariffs on steel and aluminium imports and what they’ll mean for Australia. On this episode of Follow the Money, Senior Economist Matt Grudnoff joins Ebony Bennett to explain how tariffs work, Trump’s 25 per cent levy on steel and aluminium imports, and how big a deal this will be for Australia. This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 11 February 2025 and things may have changed since recording.  Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.  Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes:  After America, the Australia Institute ‘Trump’s latest tariff bid shows the old rules of trade no longer apply. Scraps of paper will not save us’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (February 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.

Australia needs an electoral system that’s genuinely fair, not a two-tiered system that favours the major parties. On this episode of Follow the Money, Democracy & Accountability Director Bill Browne joins us to discuss the latest political donations data and why tens of thousands of Australians are concerned about the Government’s proposed electoral changes. This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 4 February 2025 and things may have changed since recording.  Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.  Guest: Bill Browne, Director, Democracy & Accountability, the Australia Institute // @browne90 Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Show notes:  Electoral Reform Bill analysis by Bill Browne and Joshua Black, the Australia Institute (February 2025) SIGN NOW: Protect our elections!, the Australia Institute 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.