- Disputing the cant we all just get along / Kum Ba Yah approach to Israel/Palestine. - Sam Castro from the Whistle blowers, Activists and Citizens Alliance (WACA) on their direct action against Elbit systems, a company profiting from the bombing of Gaza. - New segment: Taking the o no out of ec-o-no-mics. - Part two of our interview with Sam Castro, focused on the importance of direct action. - For more information on this episode and for links to all of the stories and clips from it, go to: ht...
Aug 18, 2014•1 hr 19 min
- Advocates for the Nordic Model for sex work argue that this approach does not target sex workers themselves, only their clients. - However, Jane Green and Cameron Cox dispute these claims and argue that it is decriminalisation that leads to the best outcomes for sex workers. - Jane Green is a sex worker who is on the Executive Committee of the Scarlet Alliance. - Cameron Cox is a sex worker who is involved in a sex worker outreach organisation. - They also discuss the rescue industry, transpho...
Aug 08, 2014•1 hr 19 min
- The latest updates on Israel/Palestine: ceasefire, death tolls and protests for Palestine. - We are again joined by Naama Blatman-Thomas (a PhD candidate from Israel who has done field work with Palestinian groups in Karmiel) and Mark Thomas (an American activist who has lived in both Israel and Palestine) for most of this episode. - Naama and Marks experiences of living in Israel and Palestine. - The Australian carbon tax is abolished was it ever real action on climate change? - How you can t...
Jul 27, 2014•1 hr 27 min
- Lets talk hockey. - We are joined by Naama Blatman-Thomas (a PhD candidate from Israel who has done field work with Palestinian groups in Karmiel) and Mark Thomas (an American activist who has lived in both Israel and Palestine) for most of this episode. - Recent escalation in Gaza. - The latest on refugees in Australia: Tamil refugees still imprisoned on a locked ship as the High Court decides their fate. - We crash a government press conference. - Challenging the idea that criticisms of Isra...
Jul 20, 2014•1 hr 12 min
- Nick is joined by anarchist activist Dan (aka Very Dangry) for this entire episode. - The police. - Austerity in Europe and Australia. - Were all middle class in Australia?? - Similarities between the working class and capitalist class all around the world. - The post-World War Two glory years werent glorious for everyone. - Mainstream unions compared to the International Workers of the World (IWW). - Obama policy to get around child trafficking. - Challenging notions of good and bad asylum se...
Jul 08, 2014•53 min
- Avoiding pointless debates online. - Big Buzzfeed, Facebook and online privacy. - The human rights implications of drones. - For more information on this episode and for links to all of the stories and clips from it, go to: http://progressivepodcastaustralia.com/2014/07/03/droning-on/
Jul 02, 2014•56 min
- Nationalism and militarism in ice-hockey. - $11 billion spent on the World Cup rather than on much needed services in Brazil. - Thousands of people evicted from their homes for their tournament. - Sex workers pushed out of the city. - Interview with a member of the Comit Popular da Copa in Sao Paulo, a coordination of groups and individuals against the FIFA World Cup and its negative effects. This interview is thanks to Anarchist Radio Berlin. - Gay players encouraged to come out at the World ...
Jun 25, 2014•44 min
- Check your economic privilege at GlobalRichList.com - What you HAVENT learnt from the media this week: ABC radio obsesses over electoral politics in Australia (including recently revealing that Malcolm Turnbull had dinner with Clive Palmer and that he ordered a soup), while neglecting important international issues like the violence in the Central African Republic. - (Not so) alternative media recommendation: The Guardian who have had lots of coverage of the crisis in the Central African Repub...
Jun 16, 2014•53 min
- Coggo from the Melbourne Street Medic Collective (Melb SMC) on the Wage Peace Convoy that broke the world record for most protests in one day. - Unfortunately Guinness refused to include them, maybe because theyre too busy reporting on really important records like the most business leaders attending a networking event. - The Wage Peace Convoy did an amazing 29 protests on the day. - One of these was with The First Nation people of Australia, where they demanded that those Indigenous people wh...
Jun 03, 2014•52 min
- Liberal party politician Christopher Pyne apparently calls Labor leader Bill Shorten a grub. - This is not really an austerity budget significantly reducing government spending, but rather there are some cuts and some increases. Economist Richard Denniss has pointed out that military spending has gone up, for example. - This is a class war budget that will increase the already vast wealth inequality in Australia. - The end of free healthcare in Australia. - Deregulation of uni fees. - Retireme...
May 27, 2014•48 min
- This time were joined by Jess Ison, who tells us all about the soon-to-be released book To the Exclusion Of All Others: Queers Questioning Gay Marriage, which she will be an editor of. - How Jess came to this position of being pro-queer but anti-same sex (and other) marriage. - Julia Gillards new position on same-sex marriage. - Links between the same-sex marriage campaign and homophobia dropping but transphobia rising. - Curtis Redds talk Bodies, Beats and Bashing: History Telling of Homophob...
May 17, 20140
- Recap of the Institute for Critical Animal Studies Oceania (ICAS) 2014 conference: Critical Animal Studies in the Asia-Pacific. - What ICAS is all about: making change for animals, anarchism, collective decision-making and safe spaces. - Jess Isons talk/rant on Animals Australias No Way to Treat a Lady campaign. - Javed de Costas introduction to the Class, Race and Veganism workshop. - For more information on this episode and for all of the links from it, go to: http://progressivepodcastaustra...
May 02, 2014•1 hr 6 min
- Another Austin Powers moment in Australian politics. - Results from the WA Senate by-election. - Problems in the Labor party, Joe Bollocks is preferenced over progressive Louise Pratt who has lost her Senate seat. - Greens get their highest ever vote thanks to a grassroots campaign and providing a clear alternative to the Liberals agenda. Senator Scott Ludlam aka S-Ludz is King of the World. - The Palmer United Party attracted votes due to their massive advertising campaign, despite offering n...
Apr 20, 2014•1 hr
- Stevie from Team Earthling gives a field report on the Townsville March in March against the Abbott government. - Anarcho-capitalism and Camp Anarchy. - Speeches from the Perth March in March. - Sometimes satire can sometimes reinforce the inequalities it is trying to oppose. - People forced to remove offensive t-shirts saying Fuck Tony Abbott at the Perth March in March. - For more information on this episode and for links to all of the stories and clips from it, go to: http://progressivepodc...
Apr 01, 2014•48 min
- Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott wants to bring back knights and dames. - Tony Abbott questioned by Newtown High students. - Recap of Australian-wide March in March protests against the Abbott government. - Western Australian election. - WA Liberal Senator Matthias Cormann introduces the new term un-Western Australian. - Nicola Paris from Counteract discusses the Summary Offences Act, a new anti-protest bill introduced in Victoria. - For more information on the episode and links to all of...
Mar 29, 2014•56 min
- Horrible immigration policies in the UK and Australia. - The viral speech from Greens politician Scott Ludlam. - The Liberal Party continue to lie about asylum seekers being illegal. - The upcoming federal Senate re-election in Western Australia and Labor not giving their preferences to the Greens. - Interview with Tim Jones, national co-ordinator of March in March, who discusses why we need these marches, the way they are not tied to a particular political party or other group, how people who...
Mar 11, 2014•1 hr 9 min
- This title is in reaction to a horrible bumper sticker from the Young Liberals, which read Proud Liberal, Because Not Everyone can be on Welfare. - Whats Grinding Our Gears this Week: cuts to Centrelink from the conservative Abbott government currently in power in Australia. - Liberals getting policy advice on welfare from super rich mining magnate Gina Rinehart. - Some important critiques of the One Billion Rising movement. - Defending welfare against criticisms from some anarchists, drawing ...
Mar 09, 2014•50 min
- Were joined by Jen Perry, one of the main organisers of the Cruelty Free Festival WA, for this entire episode. - Can opposition to the shark cull lead people to rethinking humans interactions with all animals? - Avoiding gender stereotypes when discussing attitudes towards animals (Jen is no cow hugger!). - Why all progressives should go to Berlin and the ICAS Oceania conference. - How the Cruelty Free Festival puts into practice our support for intersectionality bringing together a wide range...
Feb 25, 2014•48 min
- Our latest find from the street. - Talks from our local One Billion Rising event and our reflections on the event. - The flyer Ten Things Men can do to Prevent Gender Violence. - How to be a good feminist ally, and how to be a good ally of any cause where you are not part of the oppressed group. - For more information on this episode and for links to all of the stories and clips from it, go to: http://progressivepodcastaustralia.com/2014/02/22/ally/
Feb 22, 2014•59 min
- In this one Nick is flying (Han) solo, or at least without Katie. - He is joined by Nicole, one the organisers from the Perth One Billion Rising event, for the entire episode. - One Billion Rising is a global event that aims to have one billion women releasing their stories, dancing and speaking at the places where they need justice, where they need an end to violence against women and girls. - Slut shaming and rape culture. - A lack of media attention given to these issues. - A discussion on ...
Feb 09, 2014•35 min
- Dont veganise racist holidays like Invasion Day, boycott them! - Dennis Simmons on some of the negative impacts of Tony Abbotts government. - Celeste Liddle on Constitutional Recognition for Indigenous people. - Our recent finds from the street. - Capitalist shopping lists. - The killing of sharks in Western Australia. - Will Tuttles speaking tour of Australia and Aotearoa. - Book recommendations, reading for diversity. - Interview with Dr (Mother!) Theresa Petray on Indigenous self-determinat...
Jan 17, 2014•1 hr 17 min
- Reflecting on radical feminism and third wave feminism. - German ticket inspectors. - Problems with comparing happy animal exploitation and happy porn. - Is objectification inherent to porn? - Consent, sex work and capitalism. - Sex work as another form of labour exploitation under capitalism. - Capitalism and patriarchy. - Feedback on our China episode: Chinas One Child Policy, population issues and male privilege. - For more information on this episode and for links to all of the stories and...
Dec 29, 2013•1 hr 30 min
- Religion and Christmas. - Veganism and George Monbiot, Jay-Z and Beyonc. - George Monbiots article So you need that smart cuckoo clock for Christmas, do you?. - The impact of plastics on the environment and non-human animals. - Buy Nothing Christmas. - For more information on the episode and for links to all of the stories and clips from it, go to: http://progressivepodcastaustralia.com/2013/12/20/christmas/
Dec 20, 2013•42 min
- Book recommendation: They Did Nothing: Why the Truth doesn't always come out when the UN goes in by Linda Polman. - Our interview with China Ben. Covers: repression of activists in China, inequality in China including the urban/rural divide, taking action on behalf of workers, Corruption, creative ways of getting around censorship online, the Wests role in Chinas environmental problems and the One Child Policy. - For more information about this episode and for links to all of the clips and sto...
Dec 16, 2013•1 hr
- Finds from the street: lamp and an iMac! - Antony Loewenstein and Scott Ludlam from the event What Next for the Australian Left?. - Russell Brand: voting, revolution, sexism and privilege. - National Day of Climate Action. - Movie Recommendation: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. - Book Recommendations from Loewenstein and Ludlam. - Changing the language in political discussions. - Academics and social movements. - Israel and human rights (or lack of). - For more information on this episode and...
Nov 25, 2013•1 hr 49 min
- Whats Grinding Our Gears this Week: the Abbott governments cuts to Centrelink (the Australian governments welfare agency). - Updates on the Australian Senate. - Refugee activism. - Interview with Andrew Kelly on the tunnel picket protest against a proposed road development in Melbourne that will destroy communities and privileges roads over rail. - Environmental and animal rights news and activism. - Being healthy and vegan on a low income. - Phonebloks. - Reclaim the Night. - Interview with H...
Oct 23, 20130
- Farewell to Kevin Rudd. - Abbotts cabinet. - Australia is open for business. - Secondary boycotts under threat. - Abbott wants to sign the scary TPPA agreement. - A return to TPVs and other horrible changes for asylum seekers. - Further discussion on Syria. - Whats Grinding Our Gears: sleazy drunk men and the freeway. - Media control. - Workers under threat from a new right-wing Senate. - Scott Ludlam gets a recount for the WA Senate. - For more information on the episode and for links to the ...
Oct 11, 2013•1 hr 41 min
- Book recommendation from Hugo Chavez: Hegemony or Survival by Noam Chomsky. - Liam Kenny defends The Chasers false depiction of his dad having sex with a dog. - Whats Grinding Our Gears This Week: homophobic Google. - Occupy Wall Street two year anniversary. - Spoken word CD recommendation: War and Civil Disobedience by Howard Zinn. - For more information on the episode and for links to the all of the stories and clips from it, go to: http://progressivepodcastaustralia.com/2013/10/01/syria/
Oct 01, 2013•53 min
- Casino land grab. - Some history and background on Syria. - Latest news on Syria. - US hypocrisy on chemical weapons. - The US accidentally pursuing diplomacy. - The role of alternative media in generating opposition to a US invasion. - Arming foetuses or harming penises? - For more information on the episode and for links to all of the stories and clips from it, go to: http://progressivepodcastaustralia.com/2013/10/01/syria/
Sep 30, 2013•1 hr 20 min
- Senate results, will it be a hostile Senate that blocks Tony Abbotts right-wing policies? - Greens get a record number of Senate seats. - Rap News, Julian Assange and Wikileaks. - Calls for reforming the Senate voting process after parties get in with hardly any votes. - Whats Grinding Our Gears This Week? featuring Kitchen Cabinet. - Being active beyond voting, the importance of activism and social movements. - For more information on this episode and to find links to all of the stories and c...
Sep 15, 2013•1 hr 4 min
