On this special episode of Democracy Sausage , our expert panel cast their eyes over Australia’s $17.6 billion stimulus package announced on Thursday. The Australian government has announced a huge stimulus package aimed at businesses and households, but will it work to tackle the potential impacts of COVID-19? Joining Professor Mark Kenny to analyse the announcement are social policy expert Professor Peter Whiteford and the business and economics Editor of The Conversation Peter Martin AM. The ...
Mar 12, 2020•34 min
This week our expert panel take a look at the possible economic impacts from COVID-19, what the government could and should do about it, and whether Australia’s public health systems are up to the job. Will the Australian government’s stimulus package prevent a slide into recession, and do the country’s health systems really have surge capacity to cope with the possible impacts of coronavirus? Those are some of the questions tackled by our expert panel on this week’s Democracy Sausage pod. Joini...
Mar 10, 2020•50 min
On this Second Serve , we’re joined by the Vice-Chancellor of The Australian National University, Professor Brian Schmidt AC, to discuss how to achieve negative emissions, frustrations with the climate change debate, the challenge of Coronavirus, and his vision for the national university. It’s been a challenging start to the year, with many impacted by fire, smoke, hail, and now COVID-19. Leading the response to all of it at The Australian National University has been Vice-Chancellor Professor ...
Mar 07, 2020•44 min
In this week’s episode, we talk about surplus politics and the government’s proactive response to coronavirus, plus freedom of the press with News Corp’s Annika Smethurst. In the wake of police raids on Annika Smethurst’s Canberra home and the ABC’s Sydney headquarters in 2019, media organisations have come together to advocate more adequate protection for journalists. Beyond advocating for their staff, the organisations say they are fighting for the future of investigative reporting on matters ...
Mar 02, 2020•50 min
On this Second Serve , Professor Nicholas Biddle discusses new research about exposure to this season’s bushfires and its impact on the attitudes of Australians. The political fallout from Australia’s unprecedented bushfire season has been substantial, with the government receiving major criticism for its handling of the crisis. But how exactly has it impacted Australian attitudes towards climate and politics? Which voters have turned away from the government, who have they turned to, and is it ...
Feb 26, 2020•32 min
In the new episode, we examine political vision and division after more than a decade of Australia’s climate wars. While the Australian government shifted its rhetoric on climate change in the wake of the bushfires, have leadership ructions in the National Party halted any movement on climate policy? Would a conscience vote on Zali Steggall’s climate bill give the prime minister an ‘out’ of his political bind? And does Australia need to be more comfortable with a ‘messy’ debate to encourage poli...
Feb 24, 2020•49 min
Join us at the pod squad members’ lounge as we field your questions on all sorts of issues, from how countries are performing on emissions reduction to which politician you’d least like to be stuck in conversation with at the annual Midwinter Ball. On the first episode of our special Ask Policy Forum series, regular hosts and special guests crack a beverage and chat about what you want to know. Led by Chris Farnham of the National Security Podcast , kick back as Mark Kenny of Democracy Sausage ,...
Feb 20, 2020•1 hr 2 min
On this week’s Democracy Sausage , we chat about Australia’s religious freedom bill, the Parliament’s pro-coal wing, and the country’s search for political vision in challenging times. Has the National Party’s leadership drama made it harder for Prime Minister Morrison to pivot on climate policy? Is the government’s religious freedom bill a 'solution in search of a problem’? And who will take responsibility for outlining a positive, hopeful message on climate and culture? This week on Democracy ...
Feb 17, 2020•56 min
Mark Kenny, veteran political journalist Malcolm Farr and Marija Taflaga chat about the week in politics, and Professor Peter Collignon joins us in the studio to discuss the emergence of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). After a disastrous start to the year, are the government’s political problems curable? On the new episode of Democracy Sausage , Mark Kenny, Marija Taflaga, and Malcolm Farr discuss the limits of Scott Morrison’s political messaging and why the bushfire royal commission could becom...
Feb 10, 2020•46 min
On 31 January 2020, the United Kingdom formally left the European Union, three and a half years after the initial referendum. While many celebrated, Dr Rob Manwaring says the UK faces a herculean task before the transition period elapses at the end of the year. With a European free trade deal to negotiate, Scottish leaders pushing for independence, and the Irish border issue unresolved, is this just the beginning? Rob Manwaring is a Senior Lecturer in the College of Business, Law and Government ...
Feb 05, 2020•28 min•Ep. 39
On our first Democracy Sausage of the year, we talk #sportsrorts, bushfires and the prime minister’s falling poll numbers. Host Mark Kenny is joined by Kieran Gilbert, Sky News Australia’s Chief News Anchor, as well as ANU Crawford School of Public Policy’s Dr Siobhan McDonnell and Peter Martin. Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow 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...
Feb 03, 2020•48 min•Ep. 38
China has become crucial to Australia’s security, economy, and identity, but what are its intentions? In this special Democracy Sausage live event, Mark Kenny talks to Peter Hartcher about Australia-China relations. We ask whether they are really in a state of deep freeze, and what Australia must do to engage productively with China without sacrificing the integrity of its political, legal, and security systems. Peter Hartcher is an award-winning Australian journalist and the Political and Inter...
Dec 09, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 37
On this Democracy Sausage , Mark Kenny and co-host Dr Marija Taflaga are joined by Sue Regan and Dr Matthew Kerby to look at what it would take for a minister to get sacked nowadays, and whether ministerial codes of conduct are still worth the paper they’re written on. The panel also give us an update on the polls for the upcoming UK election and discuss why the recent London Bridge attack has fueled a new blame game between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn. Matthew Kerby is a Senior Lecturer in ...
Dec 02, 2019•49 min•Ep. 36
In the wake of the Great Financial Crisis, many centre-left parties around the world have struggled to make electoral headway. Why is it happening, and what role does an inability to tell a convincing narrative for change play? In this special Democracy Sausage extra, Mark Kenny and Marija Taflaga talk to Dr Rob Manwaring, a senior lecturer at Flinders University, and the editor of the book Why the Left Loses . The panel also discuss how Jeremy Corbyn’s broad policy agenda might fare in the upco...
Nov 26, 2019•50 min•Ep. 35
On this Democracy Sausage we take a look at the rollback of robodebt, paternalistic welfare policies, and the long history of the language of dole bludgers. Mark Kenny and the panel – Marija Taflaga, Frank Bongiorno, and Matthew Gray – also tackle the union-busting Ensuring Integrity Bill, whether government can be trusted with our data, and Australia’s increasingly fraught relationship with China. Matthew Gray is Director of the Centre for Social Research and Methods at The Australian National ...
Nov 25, 2019•49 min•Ep. 34
This week on the Democracy Sausage podcast Mark Kenny and the panel – Virginia Haussegger AM, Blair Williams, and Meegan Fitzharris – take a look at how to get more women in politics, what it’s like for women who are already in politics, and why a representative parliament needs a diversity of voices. The panel also discuss the media’s treatment of women in parliament, the high number of women standing aside in the UK’s upcoming election, and tackle some of your questions and comments. This epis...
Nov 18, 2019•50 min•Ep. 33
In this special mid-week fry-up of Democracy Sausage , we bring you a live recording of the launch of the new issue of Australian Foreign Affairs – China Dependence . The event features an outstanding panel of Honorary Professor Allan Gyngell, Associate Professor Margaret Simons, David Uren, and Associate Professor Jane Golley, and is moderated by Mark Kenny. The panel look at how to overcome the current ‘deep freeze’ in relations, how universities are responding to ever-growing numbers of Chine...
Nov 13, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 32
Sky News veteran and the future host of ABC’s Insiders David Speers is our special guest on this week’s Democracy Sausage . He joins Mark Kenny and Marija Taflaga to talk about the government’s response to climate change, how he feels about taking over the hit show’s hot seat, Josh Frydenberg’s upcoming Australia in the World lecture , whether Labor’s warts and all review will fix the party’s problems, and if Bill Shorten would have won an election against Malcolm Turnbull. David Speers is an Au...
Nov 11, 2019•55 min•Ep. 31
On this episode of Democracy Sausage Marija Taflaga talks to Feodor Snagovsky and Maiy Azize about Canadian politics and why Justin Trudeau has a “problem with costumes”. The panel also discuss how the left has allowed itself to be positioned as a movement of elites, the chances for a wealth tax in Australia, and whether Extinction Rebellion’s disruptive tactics are achieving their aims. Maiy Azize is an experienced campaigner, communicator, and manager. She is currently Director of Media and Co...
Nov 04, 2019•48 min•Ep. 30
On this episode of the Democracy Sausage podcast we discuss freedom of the press and the Right to Know campaign, whether Australia needs a bill of rights, and how the country should be dealing with drought. Marija Taflaga and the panel – James Mortensen, Zoe Robinson, and Quentin Grafton – also discuss the historic closure of Uluru to climbers, and tackle some of your questions and comments. Marija Taflaga is a lecturer in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Her major researc...
Oct 28, 2019•45 min•Ep. 29
This week Darren Lim fires up the Democracy Sausage barbecue for a sizzling discussion on corporate responsibility, censorship, and China, as he chats to Jill Sheppard and Nathan Attrill about the recent NBA controversy. The panel also discuss how Chinese censorship plays out in Hollywood and the role of Universities in navigating relations with the country. In the second half of the pod, Darren is joined by Mark Kenny from London where he talks about the weekend’s People’s March, the UK Governm...
Oct 21, 2019•55 min•Ep. 28
On this episode of the Democracy Sausage podcast Mark Kenny and an expert panel – Jennifer Lees-Marshment, Ben Phillips, and Katrine Beauregard – take a look at the domestic policy and politics of raising Newstart and increasing wages, what the left can learn from the political marketing of the right, and tackle international politics from New Zealand to Canada to Brexit Britain. Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile...
Oct 14, 2019•48 min•Ep. 27
Why was the Australian election dominated by franking credits and did people know what they are? Who should lead Labor into the next election? And will Trump get re-elected? Those are just some of the issues tackled by Mark Kenny and Amy Remeikis of The Guardian Australia with a special panel of ANU students – Noah Yim, Marvin Vestil, Gil Rickey, and Olivia Ireland. Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic ...
Oct 08, 2019•51 min•Ep. 26
On this week’s Democracy Sausage podcast Mark Kenny and his guests, Graeme Smith and Lyndal Curtis, gather around the hotplate of public affairs to discuss the chill in China’s relationships in the region. The panel also tackles golf course diplomacy, Greta Thunberg’s powerful speech to the UN, impeachment in the US, and the latest chapter in Brexit. Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including...
Sep 30, 2019•38 min•Ep. 25
After millions of people took to the streets as part of the climate strike protests, this week’s Democracy Sausage podcast takes a look at why so many young people don’t feel like the world is getting the climate leadership it needs. Mark Kenny and his guests – Mark Evans, Anneka Ferguson, and Brendan McCaffrie also discuss big business speaking out on social issues, whether Australia can transform its economy, and Pauline Hanson’s family law inquiry. Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow in the ANU Aus...
Sep 23, 2019•48 min•Ep. 24
Boris Johnson this week compared himself to The Incredible Hulk, but will he achieve his end game, or will the UK be locked in an infinity war between parliament and executive? On this week’s pod Mark Kenny and co-host Marija Taflaga chat to Anne McNaughton and Maiy Azize about Brexit, constitutional crisis, robodebt, Newstart, and the upcoming state visit to the US. Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic...
Sep 16, 2019•51 min•Ep. 23
On this Democracy Sausage , we find out what the recent ANU poll tells us about why Australia voted for the Coalition’s solo act over Labor’s symphony of policies, run the numbers on the Australian economy, and ask whether Boris Johnson has any Brexit bite to go with the bluster. Mark Kenny and our panel – Nicholas Biddle, Quentin Grafton, and Julia Ahrens – also take a look at the rise of the right in Germany, answer some of your questions and comments, and Mark shares his tweet of the week. Ma...
Sep 09, 2019•53 min•Ep. 22
On this Democracy Sausage we discuss freedom of speech at universities, the new religious freedom bill, and ask whether its time for Australia to say thank you and goodbye to coal. Mark Kenny and our panel – Will Grant, Julie Hare, and Sarah Ison – also take a look at the politics of refugee decisions, and ask whether Scott Morrison has quietened tensions in his party. Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalist...
Sep 02, 2019•39 min•Ep. 21
This week marks 80 years since Hitler invaded Poland, but are there lessons from history about the rise of China? On this week’s Democracy Sausage podcast we talk to Hugh White about a new cold war, the nuclear taboo, find out how to defend Australia, and ask whether the China choice has already been made for us. Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspo...
Aug 26, 2019•46 min•Ep. 20
On this week’s Democracy Sausage pod we crunch the numbers on how an inverted yield curve could be a sign of recession to come, and ask whether the Coalition really are better money managers than Labor with Peter Martin AM. Hosts Mark Kenny and Marija Taflaga also take a look at the Chinese economy, the Hong Kong protests, and whether it’s one step up, a few steps back in the Pacific. Mark Kenny is a Senior Fellow in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-pr...
Aug 19, 2019•44 min•Ep. 19
