Follow The Money

The government has indicated it might bring forward income tax cuts in next month's budget, but as our senior economist Matt Grudnoff explains in this episode, income tax cuts for high income earners won't be effective at stimuluating the economic. The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Matt Grudnoff, senior economist at the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoffProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music: Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and Thrum.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fight for Planet A is the newest TV series from Craig Reucassel, a three-part documentary exploring the challenges of climate change, where our energy comes from, the health effects of transport and the carbon footprint of what we eat. It offers practical solutions for people to implement at home but as Craig points out, action on climate change by householders is not enough. Governments and big corporate giants also have to do their bit. But the picture looks grim. Australia is among the world's top 20 polluters and when you factor in emissions from coal and gas exports that are shipped overseas our carbon footprint triples. Yet as part of its Covid Economic plan, the government is planning a gas-led recovery. Recorded live on September 9, 2020 as part of The Australia Institute's Webinar of a Pandemic series. The Australia Institute @theAusInstitute //Host and Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Guests: Craig Reucassel @craigreucassel // Richie Merzian Climate & Energy Director at the Australia Institute @richiemerzian // Leanne Minshull Director The Australia Institute Tasmania @leanneminshull. Music: Pulse and Thrum.Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For over eighty years, Australia and East Timor have been joined together, mostly in conflict and struggle. The latest conflict is playing out in a secret court case and involves Australian lawyer Bernard Collaery and a former ASIS officer turned whistleblower Witness K. Both have been accused of communicating protected intelligence information after disclosing an Australian bugging operation carried out in the government offices of Timor Leste in 2004. After an ACT Supreme Court ruling, significant parts of the trial against Collaery will be held in secret, which legal experts warn as the "gravest threats to freedom of expression". New Australia Institute research shows that of all the Five Eyes countries, Australia’s oversight of its intelligence communities is the weakest. In this podcast recording from our live webinar series we are privileged to have one of the key figures in Timor Leste’s fight for independence and former Timor Leste President, José Ramos Horta. He was co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996, and survived an assassination attempt in 2008. We are also privileged to welcome Bernard Collaery along with Allan Behm, head of the Australia Institute’s International and Security Affairs Program. As this matter is currently before the courts, and Bernard is subject to suppression orders, there are some limitations on the discussion which was recorded live on 2 September as part of the Australia Institute's Economics of a Pandemic Webinar series.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Prize Laureate and former President of Timor Leste, Bernard Collaery, Barrister and former Attorney-General of the ACT, Allan Behm, head of the Australia Institute's International and Security Affairs Program // @MirandaprorsusProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's relationship with China has been turbulent of late, so this week we speak to Allan Behm, head of the Australia Institute's International and Security Affairs Program about what we really want out of our relationship with China and how we can get it back on track. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Allan Behm, head of the Australia Institute's International and Security Affairs Program // @MirandaprorsusProducer: Jennifer Macey Theme music is by Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are so many reasons for Australia to transition to electric vehicles, but despite warnings that Australia could be left behind without stronger policy direction regarding EVs, little progress has been made. In contrast, Norway is a world leader in EV policy.Recorded live on 20 August as part of the Australia Institute's Economics of a Pandemic webinar series.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Christina Bu, Head of Norway's EV association // @ChristinaBu_Giles Parkinson, Founder/Editor of @Renew_Economy & @TheDriven_io // @GilesParkinsonRichie Merzian, Climate & Energy Director at the Australia Institute // @RichieMerzianProducer: Jennifer Macey, with additional editing by Lucy LuoTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we talk to Dr Richard Denniss about the role of neoliberalism in spreading Covid-19 and how decades of privatisations, outsourcing and cuts to government spending have left Australia vulnerable during this pandemic. The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Richard Dennis, chief economist at the Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIProducer: Jennifer Macey, with additional editing by Grace Crivellaro, Holly Forrest and Lucy LuoTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this, our 100th episode of Follow the Money, we celebrate with a special look back at some of our special guests, some of our favourite highlights, worst jokes and some of the interesting topics we've covered in the past 99 episodes. Our heartfelt thanks to all our listeners - we're looking forward to the next 100 episodes!The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Richard Dennis, chief economist at the Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAIProducer: Jennifer Macey, with additional editing by Grace Crivellaro, Holly Forrest and Lucy LuoTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the main goals of public health around the world has been to prevent the number of severe cases from overwhelming the hospitals and the health system. We know that severe cases of Covid require intensive care and respirators, but as a novel virus with no vaccine or treatments, clinicians are learning on the job how best to treat it.We are joined by three experienced ICU clinicians who are part of the COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium Study -- the first study of its kind in the world.Professor John Fraser, Director of the Critical Care Research Group at The Prince Charles Hospital and University of Queensland in Brisbane, Professor Carol Hodgson, Deputy Director of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre in DEPM and a specialist ICU physiotherapist at Alfred Health in Melbourne, and Dr. Dan Meyer, a cardiothoracic surgeon in Dallas, Texas. Part of the Australia Institute's Economics of a Pandemic webinar series.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Prof John Fraser // Director of @CCRG_Research Prof Carol Hodgson // @chodgsonANZICRC Dr Dan M. MeyerProducer: Jennifer Macey, with help from Holly Forrest, Lucy Luo and Grace CrivalleroTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this second of our two-part episode on gas, we explore the flaws in the cost benefit analysis of the Santos' Narrabri gas project in NSW and why it doesn't stack up economically, environmentally or to create jobs, with Rod Campbell, research director at the Australia Institute.www.tai.org.auHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Rod Campbell // @R_o_d_CProducer: Jennifer Macey with help from Holly ForrestTheme music is by Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morrison government has said it will increase investment in skills and training if the states and territories sign up to an overhaul of the Vocational Education and Training sector. ACTU President Michele O'Neil, Correna Haythorpe, federal president of the AEU and Alison Pennington, senior economist at the Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute on why the TAFE system has been in turmoil for some time, the role it plays in the economy and how we can fix it. Part of the Australia Institute's Economics of a Pandemic webinar series.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Alison Pennington // @ak_penningtonMichele O’Neil // @MicheleONeilAUCorrena Haythorpe // @CHaythorpeAEUProducer: Jennifer Macey, with help from Lucy Luo and Grace CrivalleroTheme music: Pulse and ThrumSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.