Follow The Money

When it comes to addressing the systemic issues which are impacting Australian women’s everyday lives, it often feels like the problems are big and impossible to tackle. In today's episode, Australia Institute research economist Eliza Littleton outlines 8 practical things that Prime Minister Scott Morrison could do right now to remove barriers to women's equality and to put some actions behind his rhetoric.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuest:Eliza Littleton, research economist // @elizalittletonThe Australia Institute // @theausinstituteWebsite:australiainstitute.org.auProducer: 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.

Australia has no policy to incentivise electric vehicle uptake, are we destined to become a dumping ground for gas guzzlers? This week we talk to Richie Merzian and Audrey Quicke about what how Australia can electrify its transport sector, quick smart.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuest:Richie Merzian, director Climate & Energy program // @richiemerzianAudrey Quicke, climate researcherThe Australia Institute // @theausinstituteWebsite:australiainstitute.org.aufuturework.org.auProducer: 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.

A year on from the recession, how are Australian women faring economically? Pretty poorly actually. This week we speak to Alison Pennington, senior economist from the Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute about how women have disproportionately lost their jobs, returned to crappier jobs and why the gender pay gap actually widened over the last year, despite what you may have heard otherwise.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuest:Alison Pennington, senior economist at the Australia Institute // @ak_penningtonThe Australia Institute // @theausinstituteCentre for Future Work // @cntrfutureworkWebsite:australiainstitute.org.aufuturework.org.auProducer: 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 findings of the Aged Care Royal Commission are shocking but not surprising. Among the recommendations is the call for an effective 1% increase in the Medicare levy, or a new Medicare-style Aged Care levy which could be applied progressively based on income, to create the revenue required to fund an aged care system with dignity at its centre. This week we talk to senior economist Matt Grudnoff about where all the revenue has gone, why privatising keeps failing and why the Parliament should seize this opportunity to change the conversation on tax. This was recorded on Tuesday, 2 March 2021 and things may have changed since recording.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuest:Matt Grudnoff, senior economist at the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoffThe Australia Institute // @theausinstituteWebsite:australiainstitute.org.auProducer: 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.

When Facebook banned Australian news and information from its platform -- as well as the pages of many charities, community groups and government departments -- in an attempt to avoid regulation, it may have been the first time many Australians had heard of the news media bargaining code. So in this week's episode we unpack what the code is, what it does, why it's necessary and what happens next with Director of the Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology, Peter Lewis. This was recorded on Tuesday 23 February 2021 and things may have changed since recording.Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuest:Peter Lewis, Director, Centre for Responsible Technology // @PeterLewisEMCThe Australia Institute // @theausinstituteCentre for Responsible Technology // @CntrResponsTechWebsite:australiainstitute.org.aucentreforresponsibletechology.org.auProducer: Jennifer Macey //@jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In its efforts to avoid regulation, Google commissioned economic modelling showing that Google providing tens of billions of dollars in benefits to Australia - but the figures quickly fell apart on closer inspection from the Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology. In this episode, chief economist Richard Denniss talks us through some of the assumptions in Google's modelling, how other industries have used and abused this tool and why Google hates the news media bargaining code.The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuest:Richard Denniss, Chief Economist The Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme Music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rise of right-wing extremism is happening all around us, yet it does not dominate Australia’s national security discourse in the way “Islamic extremism” did in the years after 9/11.The Australia Institute spoke to counter-terrorism expert Dr Anne Aly MP, to help us unpack the nature of the problem and if we're doing enough to combat it. This was recorded live on Wednesday 10 February 2021, as part of the Australia Institute's webinar series.The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Dr Anne Aly MP, Member for CowanRichard Denniss, Chief Economist The Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIProducer: Jennifer Macey Theme Music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, host Ebony Bennett talks to Karen Middleton, Jonathan Pearlman and Allan Behm about the tenth issue of Australian Foreign Affairs which examines the alliances, blocs and rivalries emerging across the Asia-Pacific as nations adjust to the changing balance of power. Friends, Allies and Enemies considers Australia’s diplomatic options as loyalties shift in an increasingly turbulent region.The full webinar is available on the Australia Institute’s YouTube channel here, recorded live on Nov 13, 2020.Host: Ebony Bennett // @ebony_bennettGuests:Karen Middleton, The Saturday Paper // @KarenMMiddletonJonathan Pearlman, Australian Foreign AffairsAllan Behm, director International & Security Affairs Program at the Australia Institute// @mirandaprorsusProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme music is by Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, host Ebony Bennett talks to Jay Weatherill, Kate Carnell and Richard Denniss about how an affordable, accessible early learning system could help power Australia's economic recovery.The full webinar is available on the Australia Institute’s YouTube channel here.Host: Ebony Bennett // @ebony_bennettGuests:Jay Weatherill, CEO of Thrive by Five, Minderoo Foundation // @JayWeatherillKate Carnell, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman // @KateCarnellAusRichard Denniss, chief economist, The Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme music is by Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, host Ebony Bennett talks to Ged Kearney MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Skills and the Shadow Assistant Minister for Aged Care, Beris Campbell, Board member of Homeshare and Ruth Kestermann, CEO of Holdsworth Community Sydney for a discussion on Australia's critical but badly neglected aged care sector and how we can help older Australians to age well, preferably at home.The full webinar is available on the Australia Institute’s YouTube channel here.Host: Ebony Bennett // @ebony_bennettGuests:Ged Kearney MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Skills and the Shadow Assistant Minister for Aged Care, Member for Cooper // @gedkearneyBeris Campbell, Board member, HomeshareRuth Kestermann, CEO, Holdsworth Community SydneyProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme music is by Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.