Follow The Money

Latest Episodes:

The budget vs inflation May 08, 2024

Show notes

Millions of Australians are struggling to make ends meet, yet when it comes to the federal budget, too often we hear that governments ‘can’t afford’ additional spending.

Next week, Treasurer Jim Chalmers will announce what the government has chosen to prioritise in this federal budget. So, will the government address some of the big issues facing social security, the climate, HECS, housing and more, or will it be a budget of band aid solutions? Senior Economist at the Australia Institute, Matt Grudnoff, joins Ebony Bennett to discuss what to look out for in next week’s budget.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 7 May 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Matthew Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoff

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s state-sponsored greenwashing May 01, 2024

Show notes

It’s going to be difficult to tackle bogus environmental claims from the private sector until the government itself stops greenwashing, Polly Hemming says on this episode of Follow the Money.

There’s a global crackdown on greenwashing underway, but not everyone is getting the message – not even the Australian Government. On this episode of Follow the Money, the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program Director Polly Hemming joins Ebony Bennett to discuss state-sponsored greenwashing.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 30 April 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Polly Hemming, Climate & Energy Program Director, the Australia Institute // @pollyjhemming

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Knitting Nannas redefining the face of activism Apr 24, 2024

Show notes

As the government shelves important reform to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, the Knitting Nannas are getting out into their communities and demanding an end to fossil fuel projects.

They may not fit the stereotype of activists, but the Knitting Nannas are a force to be reckoned with. In their own words, they “sit, knit, plot, have a yarn and a cuppa, and bear witness to the war against the greedy, short-sighted corporations”. On this episode of Follow the Money, Kathy McKenzie and Marie Flood from the Sydney Knitting Nannas, along with the Australia Institute’s Mark Ogge, join us discuss the future of activism and why it’s time to stop new fossil fuel projects.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 19 March 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

Find out more about the Knitting Nannas at knitting-nannas.com. Hear all the sessions from our Climate Integrity Summit 2024 on our website.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Kathy McKenzie, Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends

Guest: Marie Flood, Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends

Guest: Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor, the Australia Institute // @MarkOgge

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Making freedom of information “sexy” with Rex Patrick Apr 17, 2024

Show notes

Freedom of Information laws have helped the public uncover information governments would prefer to keep secret, but the system is failing.

Strong Freedom of Information laws are critical to Australia’s democracy, but delays and government resistance are undermining people’s faith in the system.On this episode of Follow the Money, former independent Senator for South Australia Rex Patrick and Australia Institute Senior Economist Matthew Grudnoff join Ebony Bennett to discuss why transparency matters and what can be done to improve the dire state of the system.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 16 April 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Rex Patrick, former Senator for South Australia // @MrRexPatrick

Guest: Matthew Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoff

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not seeing the koalas for the carbon credits Apr 10, 2024

Show notes

Rather than delivering on their election promise to create a Great Koala National Park, the New South Wales Government is sitting on its hands until it can earn carbon credits from forests.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Walkley Award winning journalist and Australia Institute Senior Fellow Stephen Long joins Ebony Bennett to discuss his new report into the disastrous consequences of the ongoing logging in the state for koalas and the climate.

If you want the New South Wales Government to end native forest logging, you can sign our open letter.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow and Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute // @StephenLongAus

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minority retort Apr 03, 2024

Show notes

The major parties claim that minority and coalition governments are chaotic and unworkable, but are they actually more effective?

Australian politicians aren’t exactly known for getting along with each other. But history shows that, when they’re forced to share government, they can get a lot done. In the wake of the Tasmanian election, Australia Institute Executive Director Richard Denniss joins Follow the Money to discuss why the need to negotiate can make minority and coalition governments better at lawmaking.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Richard Denniss, Executive Director, the Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAI

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Coalition goes nuclear Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

After scarcely mentioning it for nearly a decade while in government, the Coalition are now hot to trot on nuclear power – but why?

On this episode of Follow the Money, energy researcher Matthew Ryan and host Ebony Bennett discuss the cost of a massive nuclear energy rollout, the legal and environmental barriers standing in the way and why the Coalition’s plans would be dreadful for Australia’s emissions in the coming decade.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Matthew Ryan, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the Australia Institute // @mattdjryan

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The end of capitalism with Yanis Varoufakis Mar 20, 2024

Show notes

Capitalism is dying, but not in the way you might think.

That’s the argument of academic economist and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, who proposes capitalism has mutated into a far more sinister, feudal system on the back of sophisticated algorithms and big tech.

On this episode of Follow the Money, recorded live at the State Library of NSW, Varoufakis speaks with the Australia Institute’s Ebony Bennett and Stephen Long about his proposition and his new book, Technofeudalism.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 12 March.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Yanis Varoufakis, Secretary-General of Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 and former Greek Finance Minister // @yanisvaroufakis

Host: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow and Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute // @StephenLongAus

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great expectations: will Australia walk the talk on climate change? Mar 13, 2024

Show notes

The Albanese government came to power with big expectations around climate action, but are the government’s actions falling short of their rhetoric?

On this episode of Follow the Money, former President of Kiribati Anote Tong joins Walkley Award winning journalist Stephen Long to discuss the Australian government’s “disappointing” record on climate, the role of China in the region and the prospects of a Pacific UN climate conference hosted in Australia.

There are still tickets available to see Anote Tong in conversation in Melbourne on Wednesday 13 March and in Sydney on Friday 15 March.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Anote Tong, former President of the Republic of Kiribati

Host: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow and Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute // @StephenLongAus

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Edited by: Emily Perkins

Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robodebt, repeated? How government is failing the nation on climate Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

The ‘robodebt’ debacle was a shameful episode for the federal government, but was it an anomaly? Our guest today says the same behaviours that enabled robodebt have been playing out for decades in our climate policymaking and questions whether the government has appetite to implement its proposed integrity reforms.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Polly Hemming, Director, Climate & Energy program, the Australia Institute // @pollyjhemming

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Edited by: Emily Perkins

Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.