Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny

On this week’s fry up of politics and public affairs, our outstanding panel of John Hewson, Quentin Grafton and Marija Taflaga join us to talk about the COVID-19 aged care inquiry, tensions over state border closures, and whether or not a coronavirus vaccine should be mandatory.It was a “week of hope” in the words of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, after signing a letter of intent to access the promising Oxford University coronavirus vaccine and falling infection numbers in Victoria. So after weeks of restrictions in Victoria following its second wave outbreak, is this week another turning point in Australia’s coronavirus response? Should Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck face sanctions for failing to recall how many aged care residents have died from the virus in a Senate Inquiry? And is making a COVID-19 vaccine compulsory essential to ensure community safety in the wake of the pandemic? With Mark Kenny on a well-earned break, Martyn Pearce fires up the barbeque this week, joined by former Opposition Leader Dr John Hewson, Crawford School’s Professor Quentin Grafton, and regular podleague Dr Marija Taflaga.Dr John Hewson AM is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at Crawford School of Public Policy. He is an economic and financial expert with experience in academia, business, government, media, and the financial system.Professor Quentin Grafton is an ANU Public Policy Fellow, and Director of the Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Policy Forum.Dr Marija Taflaga is Director of the Australian Politics Studies Centre in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Her major research is on political parties and particularly the Liberal Party of Australia. She has previously worked in the Australian Parliamentary Press Gallery as a researcher at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum. Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coronavirus crisis is posing new questions and serious challenges to Australia’s political leaders. And those leaders are responding assertively – closing borders, slowing the economy, and working hard to keep infection numbers down. But are they making the right choices? On this Democracy Sausage Extra Mark Kenny talks with the insiders who ask the tough questions of those leaders every day – press gallery veterans David Crowe and Phil Coorey.Initial political optimism from an early Federal Government response and subsequent low infection numbers has now given way to fear, with Australia’s internal borders closed, and soul searching and inquiries about community protection and service provision. So what does this unprecedented political time look like to the insiders – the people who report from Canberra’s press gallery? Joining Professor Mark Kenny are Phil Coorey of the Australian Financial Review and David Crowe of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. The panel discuss the questions the pandemic raises about Australia’s federated system, why every leader gets judged on the numbers, whether Australia’s good performance through the Global Financial Crisis encouraged complacency about the impacts of COVID-19, and the ‘bad men’ in charge of the world. Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Phillip Coorey is an Australian journalist, currently political editor for The Australian Financial Review. Phillip has covered federal politics since 1998, beginning as political correspondent for The Advertiser.David Crowe is Chief Political Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and a regular commentator on national affairs on the ABC’s Insiders program. In a career spanning 25 years, he has covered federal politics as the national affairs editor of The Australian and the Chief Political Correspondent of The Australian Financial Review.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has a failure to properly value care led to poor decisions driven by profit, and in doing so entrenched inequality for women? On this Democracy Sausage we take a look at the crisis unfolding in Australia’s aged care sector, the gendered dimensions playing out in the pandemic, and why we need to rethink how we value human beings in society.Even before the coronavirus hit, it was clear that the aged care sector had significant problems - a sector largely privatised and governed by profit, and built on the back of low-paid, poorly-valued, and precariously employed women workers. On this episode of Democracy Sausage Mark Kenny speaks to Meegan Fitzharris, Helen Sullivan, and Sharon Bessell about what the crisis in aged care tells us about how governments deliver the services people need, what we value in society, and what we want society to look like after the crisis.Meegan Fitzharris is a Senior Fellow in Health Policy and Leadership at ANU College of Health and Medicine. She is a former Labor Member of the Legislative Assembly for Molonglo and Yerrabi and was the ACT Government's Minister for Health and Wellbeing.Professor Helen Sullivan is Director of the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of Gender Equity and Diversity at Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University.Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times. Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, academic and author Dr Liz Allen joins us to talk about the myth of the Australian ‘fair go’ and why COVID-19 could be leading Australia into demographic disaster.Political leaders often pitch Australia as the land of ‘a fair go’. But with real social mobility so hard to come by for many Australians, is this more national myth than reality? What can policymakers do to ensure demography doesn’t equal destiny for Australians experiencing disadvantage? And is the COVID-19 crisis creating a ‘perfect storm’ for demographic trouble in Australia? On this Democracy Sausage, Mark Kenny is joined by demographer Dr Liz Allen to talk about what demography reveals about Australia’s democracy, why economic uncertainty might be preventing a COVID-19 baby boom, and her new book The Future of Us. Dr Liz Allen is a demographer and social researcher with quantitative and qualitative expertise at The Australian National University and author of The Future of Us: Demography gets a makeover.Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to be a political leader? What’s the magic mix of talent and time? And do Australia’s treasurer and shadow treasurer have that mix? Joining Mark Kenny to talk about what it takes to do the top job are commentator Niki Savva and Marija Taflaga.After botching the bushfire response, many argue Prime Minister Scott Morrison has performed strongly in the pandemic. But while he’s riding high in the polls, showing flexibility in policy, and moving quickly to sure up a struggling economy, the real political test will come with the predicted deep and long recession to come. If he or opposition leader Anthony Albanese struggle, both government and opposition have potential leaders in waiting in Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers. But what does it take to lead? Do you need 20 years’ experience in politics? Or has the accelerated rate of change that has afflicted Australian politics over the last two decades changed the political paradigm? Joining Professor Mark Kenny to talk leadership, recession, and recovery are journalist and commentator Niki Savva and regular podleague Dr Marija Taflaga.Niki Savva is an Australian journalist, author, and former senior adviser to Prime Minister John Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello.Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Dr Marija Taflaga is Director of the Australian Politics Studies Centre in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Her major research is on political parties and particularly the Liberal Party of Australia. She has previously worked in the Australian Parliamentary Press Gallery as a researcher at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Days after a presidential interview with one US-based Australian correspondent went viral, Mark Kenny chats with another stateside Aussie journalist Matthew Knott about the Jonathan Swan interview and Trump’s chances of reelection in November.Electoral surprises may have become the norm in recent years, so US presidential hopeful, Joe Biden, may not be resting as easy as many think. But with postal voting set to open soon in some states, is President Trump’s window to shake up the campaign closing too fast for the surprise 2016 victor to secure a second term? Plus with the president decrying ‘mail-in’ voting as opening the door for fraud, will the election results be seen as legitimate by his rusted on supporters? And does the US need an independent, non-partisan, federal electoral service like the Australian Electoral Commission to sure-up its famous democracy? In a week for Australian correspondents in the US, we talk to Matthew Knott from The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald about Trump’s electoral prospects, Biden’s options for running mate, and that interview. Matthew Knott is North America correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times. Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special Democracy Sausage we launch a new book on governance systems in China, Taiwan and Australia with its co-editor Andrew Podger and ANU Chancellor Julie Bishop, and discuss how COVID-19 is affecting Australia’s elderly.What does reform look like in China and how does the country’s governance stack up against Australia’s? Has reform in the country actually gone backwards under Xi Jinping? And how can business navigate the increasingly tense relations between China and other countries? On this Democracy Sausage Professor Andrew Podger, ANU Chancellor and former Foreign Minister the Hon Julie Bishop, and Dr Marija Taflaga join Mark Kenny to launch and discuss the new book, Designing governance systems for performance and accountability, co-edited by Professor Podger. The panel also examines COVID-19 in the aged care sector and whether Australia is doing enough to protect its elderly people.The Hon Julie Bishop is Chancellor of The Australian National University and was Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs.Andrew Podger AO is an Honorary Professor of Public Policy at ANU, former Australian Public Service Commissioner and former secretary of several government departments.Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Dr Marija Taflaga is Director of the Australian Politics Studies Centre in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Her major research is on political parties and particularly the Liberal Party of Australia. She has previously worked in the Australian Parliamentary Press Gallery as a researcher at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Kenny talks with Annika Smethurst about the police raid that changed her life and her new essay, On Secrets.On 4 June 2019, Federal Police raided the home of Walkley award-winning journalist Annika Smethurst, changing her life forever. Smethurst was expecting a cleaner - instead it was the federal police with a warrant. Five of them turned her place inside out, including going through her underwear drawer. In this special Democracy Sausage Professor Mark Kenny speaks to Annika Smethurst about the raid, its impact on her personally and professionally, and her new essay, On Secrets. A year before the raid, Smethurst had written an article about a proposal to allow the Australian Signals Directorate to spy on Australians. The AFP was investigating the possibility of the communication of classified material. Smethurst became the accidental poster woman for press freedom with her employer calling it a 'dangerous act of intimidation'. On April 15 2020, the High Court ruled the warrant invalid and on 27 May 2020 the AFP announced that Smethurst would not be charged over her stories that "... relied on classified intelligence documents". But the impact of the ordeal remains, and Smethurst joins us in this episode to discuss the raid that changed her life, and its implications for journalists all over the country. This discussion was recorded as part of the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author series.Annika Smethurst is National Political Editor for the Sunday News Corp mastheads The Herald Sun, news.com.au, The Daily Telegraph and The Courier-Mail. She is also a Director on the Board of the National Press Club.Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this Democracy Sausage Mark Kenny is joined by actor David Wenham, theatre producer Caroline Stacey, and performer-producer Tracy Bourne, as well as regular guest Marija Taflaga, to talk about how COVID-19 has affected the dramatic arts.Few industries have been impacted as severely by the coronavirus restrictions as the performing arts. And while the government has set aside $400 million to attract foreign film and television productions to Australian shores, far less is on offer for the country’s home-grown productions. So will COVID-19 spell the last act for local film, television and theatre? Mark Kenny is joined by an A-list cast of actor David Wenham, theatre producer Caroline Stacey, and actor and teacher Dr Tracy Bourne, as well as regular co-star Marija Taflaga. Listen here:  David Wenham is one of Australia's most well-known and respected actors, having appeared in movies, television series and theatre productions in Australia and abroad. He is perhaps best known or his roles in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Van Helsing, and 300, and for his role as Diver Dan in Australian television series SeaChange.Caroline Stacey is Artistic Director and CEO of The Street Theatre, Canberra’s leading creative producer dedicated to ambitious contemporary live performance.Dr Tracy Bourne is a singer, singing teacher, writer and director, and is Artistic Director of SEAM (Sustainable Environment Arts Movement) Inc, an organisation that aims to engage people with the issue of climate change through community art and performance projects.Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Dr Marija Taflaga is Director of the Australian Politics Studies Centre in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Her major research is on political parties and particularly the Liberal Party of Australia. She has previously worked in the Australian Parliamentary Press Gallery as a researcher at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special Democracy Sausage Second Serve Mark Kenny and Peter Martin discuss today’s economic update from the Treasurer and the impact of the corona-crunch on the nation’s future.The economic update given by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg today made for a sobering read, with net debt expected to rise to $677 billion by 30 June 2021, GDP down seven per cent in the June quarter, and unemployment expected to hit more than nine per cent at the end of the year. So has the coronavirus crisis led Australia into a debt and deficit disaster? And with the pandemic far from over, what does the future hold for Australians in this bleak economic climate? Joining Professor Mark Kenny to crunch the numbers is The Conversation’s Business and Economy Editor Peter Martin. Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Peter Martin is a Visiting Fellow at Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University and the Business and Economy Editor of The Conversation.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.