Follow The Money

Energy expert Saul Griffith discusses decarbonizing Australia through electrification, promoting optimism in climate action, limitations of hydrogen as an energy source, transitioning to renewable energy in the domestic economy, and community initiatives driving climate action.

The budget is come soon and, because it's an election year, income tax cuts are squarely on the agenda. In today's episode we ask, who really benefits from the government's legislated tax cuts? New research from the Australia Institute suggests anyone earning under $90k could be worse off.Recorded live on 22 February 2022 and things may have changed since recording.The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Matt Grudnoff, senior economist, The Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoffProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine if every time the economy turned bad we invested in things that made people’s lives good? In his new book 'BIG: The Role of the State in the Modern Economy', Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia writes that taxes and government spending don’t ruin the economy, they reshape it. Government debt and spending are at record highs and, despite decades of warnings about its dangers, Australia's economy is still growing strongly -- not because of the private sector, but because the state intervened with massive public spending -- and that's a good tthing.Special 20% off discount offer for Follow the Money listeners, get your copy of BIG here and use discount code: AUSINSTITUTE20 at checkout. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuest:Richard Denniss, Chief Economist The Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIProducer: Jennifer Macey //@jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The transition to electric vehicles is gaining pace. It's a huge new industry and Australia has everything it needs to become and electric vehicle manufacturing powerhouse: rich reserves of lithium and rare earths, strong industrial infrastructure, a highly skilled workforce, powerful training capacity, abundant renewable energy options, and untapped consumer potential. We have everything we need to rebuild the nation’s car-making capacity, we just need a government willing to back it.Recorded live on 8 February 2022 and things may have changed since recording.The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteCarmichael Centre // ‎@CarmichaelCntrHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Dr Mark Dean, Laurie Carmichael Distinguished Research Fellow at the Carmichael Centre // @markbdean84Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. Everyone knows that children do best when they are supported, nurtured and loved. But across Australia, children as young as 10 can be arrested by police, charged with an offence, hauled before a court and locked away in a prison. This primarily affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Raise the Age is a campaign for the federal, state and territory governments to do what’s right and change the laws to raise the age, so children aged 10 to 13 years are not sent to prison. Part of Australia Institute TV.This episode was recorded live on 8 September 2021 and things may have changed since recording.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Julie Williams, Gamilaroi woman and Mt Druitt Community Engagement Officer, Just Reinvest NSWMeena Singh,Yorta Yorta woman and PhD candidate, University of MelbourneSophie Trevitt, Executive Officer, Change the RecordDr Nick Fancourt, Paediatrician, Menzies School of Health ResearchThe Australia Institute // @theausinstituteProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. Accountability is fundamental to restoring integrity in politics. Join Shadow Minister for Government Accountability, Senator Kristina Keneally, for a discussion about scrutiny, transparency, and why integrity in politics matters.This episode was recorded live on 5 May 2021 and things may have changed since recording.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Senator Kristina Keneally // @kkeneallyBill Browne, Democracy & Accountability program lead, The Australia Institute // @Browne90The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. A fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work was an essential element of the promise of Australia. The last 30 years have seen a dramatic shift of the share of Australia’s prosperity going to profit and away from working people. Australians are facing a wages crisis, and Government actions and inactions are making this problem worse. Join ACTU Secretary Sally McManus as she outlines the reasons why, and the way back for working people to once again be at the heart of a strong economy.This episode was recorded live on 14 July 2021 and things may have changed since recording.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Sally McManus, ACTU Secretary // @sallymcmanusJim Stanford, economist and director, Centre for Future Work // @JimboStanfordThe Australia Institute // @theausinstituteProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. This episode you’ll hear from Independent Senator Rex Patrick Rex about the huge gaps in Australia’s system of integrity and accountability mechanisms at the federal level.This in-depth discussion covers everything from unnecessary government secrecy, Freedom of Information laws to the powers of the Senate to expose dodgy decisions and poor administration that the Government battles to keep hidden from the public.This episode was recorded live on 21 July 2021 and things may have changed since recording.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Senator Rex Patrick // @Senator_PatrickBill Browne, Democracy & Accountability program lead // @Browne90The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our summer series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. This episode we're bringing you a conversation with award-winning journalist Marian Wilkinson and the Australia Institute's chief economist Richard Denniss and Allan Behm, International & Security Affairs program director, about the growing pressure on Australia, as global and regional powers adopt tough measures to combat climate change. In partnership with Australian Foreign Affairs journal. This was recorded live on 28 July 2021 and things may have changed since recording. Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Marian Wilkinson, journalist and author // @mwilkinson54Dr Richard Denniss, chief economist The Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIAllan Behm, International & Security Affairs program director, The Australia Institute // @mirandaprorsusThe Australia Institute // @theausinstituteProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our summer series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2021. This episode we're bringing you a conversation with our chief economist Richard Denniss about the merits and flaws in the government's fiscal response to the pandemic and the long terms effects on the Australian economy. This was recorded live on 31 March 2021 and things may have changed since recording. Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Dr Richard Denniss, chief economist The Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIThe Australia Institute // @theausinstituteProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.