Australia votes— are our political parties on the nose?

This election has been described as a boring campaign, but with some fascinating contests. So just what is going on in the minds of voters as Australia heads to the polls this weekend? This event was recorded at the Sorrento Writers Festival on 27 May 2025. Speakers Frank Bongiorno Professor of History, Australian National University President, Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and the Australian Historical Association Author, Dreamers and Schemers: A Political History of Australia, The Sex lives of Australians: a history Paul Kelly Editor-at-Large, The Australian Author, Triumph and Demise: The Broken Promise of a Labor Generation and The March of Patriots: The Struggle for Modern Australia Kim Carr Longest serving Victoria Labor Senator (1993 — 2022) Vice Chancellor's Professorial Fellow at Monash University Director of the Made in Australia Campaign Limited Author, A Long March Jo Dyer (host) Writer, literary curator and producer of theatre and film Former director, Adelaide Writers Week, former CEO, Sydney Writers Festival Independent candidate for Boothby at the 2022 federal election Author, Burning Down the House: Reconstructing Modern Politics

Big Ideas · Australian Broadcasting Corporation