Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny

Dennis Quinn and Paul Pickering join us to cast their early predictions on the 2024 US election. What can Australia expect from this year’s US election, and how may their campaigns infiltrate our own political landscape? What do economic polling models suggest and how will other key issues impact the way people vote? And, most importantly, can we already forecast the winner at the end of the long campaign? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dennis Quinn, visiting from Georgetown University in the United States, and Emeritus Professor Paul Pickering join Professor Mark Kenny to pick apart and predict what’s ahead for the 2024 US elections. Dennis Quinn is a Visiting Fellow in the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University and the Powers Professor of International Business at Georgetown University.  Paul Pickering is an Emeritus Professor and Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute.  Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].  This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Strategic studies expert Hugh White talks Australia's defence situation, arguing our political leaders are out of step with the rest of the region.How can we best spend our tax dollars to ensure that Australia's defence capabilities are 'fit for purpose'? What politics internationally and closer to home, are impacting Labor's decisions on shipbuilding and defence? And with the recent ASEAN-Australia special summit in Melbourne, do our leader see eye to eye with the region and each other on how to best manage the shifting strategic environment? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Emeritus Professor Hugh White from The Australian National University (ANU) discusses making Australia’s defence ‘fit for purpose’ with Professor Mark Kenny.  Hugh White is an Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.  Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark and Marija discuss Scott Morrison's exit from politics, before housing affordability campaigner Maiy Azize joins us to propose solutions to Australia's housing crisis.Will Australia's political leaders have the ambition and ability to sell substantial housing policy changes to the public? What might a fairer system look like? And how will Scott Morrison fashion his career post-parliament? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Maiy Azize, author of a new report recommending changes to tax and investment policies for housing, joins Professor Mark Kenny and Marija Taflaga to discuss the policy and politics of Australia’s housing crisis. Maiy Azize is the Deputy Director of the Anglicare Australia and spokesperson for Everybody’s Home, a national campaign that aims to fix the housing crisis.  Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.  Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].  This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Middle East expert Ian Parmeter joins Mark Kenny to explain what is going on in Gaza – including the context for the current conflict and where to next? In light of the recent Israeli declaration of a 10 March deadline for the return of all hostages, how can negotiations looking to de-escalate the violence in Gaza move forward? What would a strategic victory look like for any of the actors? And what happens next? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Middle East expert Ian Parmeter, from the ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, and Professor Mark Kenny discuss the complex, contested, polarising and - in some cases for the West - compromising crisis in the Middle East. Ian Parmeter is a Research Scholar at the ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies. Previously, he was Australia’s ambassador to Lebanon and former Assistant Director-General at the Office of National Assessments. Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].  This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian Paul Pickering joins Mark and Marija to break down what can be learnt from the leadership merry-go-round of the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison years. What do the insider accounts from the Coalition governments of 2013 to 2022, captured in the ABC series Nemesis, reveal about the realities of federal politics? How can ambitious policy be delivered amidst the soap opera of leadership changes and infighting? And why are women so often on the periphery of political power in Australia rather than the inner circle? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Emeritus Professor Paul Pickering, Dr Marija Taflaga and Professor Mark Kenny discuss the lessons of the nine-year Coalition government. Paul Pickering is an Emeritus Professor and Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute.  Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.  Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].  This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Kenny and Marija Taflaga discuss the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison years, stage three promises and the risk of a regional conflict erupting in the Middle East.  Will the government see any major electoral backlash after its decision to change the stage three tax cuts? What did we learn about the inner workings of Tony Abbott’s prime ministership from the latest ABC documentary on the Coalition government? And with tensions at boiling point, will we see a major regional conflict erupt in the Middle East? On the first episode for 2024, Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga discuss tax changes, the prime ministerial merry-go-round and the deteriorating global geopolitical environment.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dust off the tux and bring out your ballgown – it’s the fourth annual Democracy Sausage Awards. Who performed the most flagrant and self-interested political backflip? What was the risible explanation for a government or political failure? And who shone brightest at home and abroad as the most effective political leader? On the final episode of Democracy Sausage for 2023, Professor Frank Bongiorno joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to announce this year’s winners of the highly coveted and extremely rigorous Democracy Sausage Awards.Frank Bongiorno AM is an Australian labour, political and cultural historian and Professor of History at The Australian National University (ANU).Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Outgoing ANU Vice-Chancellor Brian Schmidt joins Mark Kenny to discuss media reform, hate speech on campus and the expansion of the universe. How can Australia have a functioning democracy when public trust in media – an institution that exists to keep governments accountable – is lower than trust in government itself? Why did three American university leaders get tied up in knots answering a question on hate speech? And what has been the most difficult part of running a major university during a period that saw a pandemic and catastrophic bushfires, among other serious challenges? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) Professor Brian Schmidt AC joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss the state of Australia’s media, hate speech on campus and returning to life as a full-time astronomer. Brian Schmidt AC is the Vice-Chancellor of ANU and a Nobel Prize-winning astronomer. Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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.  Send your nominations for our annual Democracy Sausage Awards to [email protected].  Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this Democracy Sausage, Mark Kenny and Marija Taflaga discuss the trajectory of the Albanese government after a challenging year at the helm.Why is immigration such a treacherous issue for Labor politically? Will there be any imminent relief from the economic headwinds that have been buffeting Australians – and their government? And can Anthony Albanese keep the ship on an even keel in 2024? Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga reflect on a turbulent year in federal politics on this episode of Democracy Sausage. Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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.Send your nominations for our annual Democracy Sausage Awards to [email protected]. Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Researchers Nicholas Biddle and Valerie Cooms join the show to discuss new research on the referendum and why it was rejected at the polls.Why did so many Australians vote against the Voice to Parliament referendum? How did people’s perceptions change throughout the campaign? And what does the data reveal about the way forward for reconciliation in Australia? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Nicholas Biddle and Professor Valerie Cooms join Mark and Marija to examine new research on the Voice vote and to discuss what it reveals about the future of reconciliation. Nicholas Biddle is an Associate Director and Professor at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods.Valerie Cooms is a Quandamooka woman and the Director of the ANU Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climate negotiator George Carter and climatologist Janette Lindesay join us to discuss the upcoming COP28 discussions in Dubai and a joint Australia-Pacific bid to host the 2026 conference.The climate is in dangerous territory as the globe prepares to meet in Dubai for the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). So, what’s on the table in this year’s discussions? And will any new commitments be enough to keep people safe? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr George Carter and Professor Janette Lindesay join Mark and Marija to discuss gradual improvements in the context of a fast-changing climate. George Carter is Deputy Head of the ANU Department of Pacific Affairs and Director of the ANU Pacific Institute.Janette Lindesay is a climatologist and Professor at the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author and columnist Troy Bramston joins us to talk about the legacy and government of Bob Hawke, 40 years after his rise to the prime ministership.Why does Prime Minister Anthony Albanese regard the Hawke government as a model for modern Labor? Would Hawke’s consensus-based approach be effective in a contemporary political environment? And what were his major regrets from his time in office? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, author of Bob Hawke: demons and destiny, Troy Bramston, joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss Bob Hawke's complex legacy.Troy Bramston is a senior writer and columnist with The Australian and the author of Bob Hawke: demons and destiny.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Newly appointed United Nations rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism Ben Saul joins Mark and Marija to discuss the Israel-Gaza conflict. How does international humanitarian law apply to the Israel-Gaza conflict? What responsibilities do all parties have to protect civilians? And with influential voices both inside and outside of Israel calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step aside, will his government last beyond the current crisis? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism Professor Ben Saul joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss international law in the current conflict.Ben Saul is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. He is a Professor and the Challis Chair of International Law at the University of Sydney.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journalist and broadcaster Hamish Macdonald joins us to discuss the stories behind some of the world’s most influential leaders.Who's the most powerful woman in the world right now? Can Joe Biden be an effective antidote to populism and demagoguery in the United States? And is Volodymyr Zelenskyy living proof that an individual leader can have major influence over the course of history? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, ABC journalist Hamish Macdonald joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the political figures shaping global events and season two of his podcast, Take Me to Your Leader!Hamish Macdonald is a journalist, broadcaster and host of the ABC podcast, Take Me to Your Leader!Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political communications expert Andrea Carson joins Mark and Marija to discuss the performance of the media during the Voice referendum and why the ‘yes’ campaign struggled to get off the ground. How did support for the Voice fall 20 per cent in a year? Was a failure to agree on effective, targeted messages in early 2023 the reason for the ‘yes’ campaign’s downfall? And were journalists too focused on providing equal airtime to both sides of the debate and not proactive enough in calling out false and low-quality claims? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor of Political Communication and award-winning former journalist Andrea Carson at joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the future of Australia’s political debate after the Voice’s defeat.Andrea Carson is a Professor of Political Communication in the Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy at La Trobe University.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, referendums expert Matt Qvortrup and social researcher Nicholas Biddle join us to examine the Voice referendum result.   How important was the lack of bipartisanship to the outcome of the referendum? Could the government have done more to convince opposition leader Peter Dutton to support the proposal? And is the emphatic ‘no’ vote a sign of the Liberals’ rising stock, or will elements of the campaign backfire on the party at the next election? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, leading referendums expert Professor Matt Qvortrup and head of the ANUpoll Professor Nicholas Biddle join Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss what went wrong for the ‘yes’ campaign.Matt Qvortrup is a Visiting Professor of Constitutional Law at the ANU College of Law and Chair of Political Science at Coventry University.Nicholas Biddle is an Associate Director and Professor at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julian Leeser and Bridget Archer join us on this episode to discuss the media’s performance during the Voice referendum and the “dishonourable” argument underpinning the ‘no’ campaign.  What impact will the Voice to Parliament have on the gaps in life expectancy and a range of other measures between First Nations people and the general Australian population? Why is the Voice the proposition being put to the Australian people at this referendum, rather than another form of constitutional recognition? And is the media guilty of ‘bothsidesing’ the debate and allowing lies and misinformation to go unchallenged? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Liberal members of parliament Bridget Archer and Julian Leeser join Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the Voice and why they’re supporting it.Bridget Archer is the federal Liberal Member for Bass in Tasmania.Julian Leeser is the federal Liberal Member for Berowra in New South Wales, the former Shadow Attorney-General and the former Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, Senator Pat Dodson joins us to talk about the Voice, why it’s important for improving outcomes for First Nations people and the consequences for the country if the amendment fails.  Why is a Voice to Parliament, rather than constitutional recognition alone, the proposal being put to the Australian people at this referendum? What would be the process to design the legislation, should the amendment be agreed to on 14 October? And what would the failure of this proposal mean for Australia, both domestically and in its international relations? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, reconciliation leader Senator Pat Dodson joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the case for the Voice to Parliament and the possible consequences for the nation if the proposal fails.  Pat Dodson is a Yawuru man from Broome, the Chair of Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and a Senator for Western Australia.  Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.  Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].  This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the resignation of Daniel Andrews and boundaries for bureaucrats on this episode of Democracy Sausage. How did former Victorian leader Daniel Andrews gain a national profile like few premiers before him? Where should the line be between bureaucrats and politics? And can the Yes campaign turn public opinion around before referendum day? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Marija Taflaga and Professor Mark Kenny discuss Daniel Andrews’ political legacy, the inquiry into senior public servant Michael Pezzullo and the state of the Voice campaign. Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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. The following was mentioned during this episode: Noel Pearson addresses the National Press Club of Australia, ABC News on YouTube, September 2023 Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author and academic Julianne Schultz joins Mark and Marija to discuss the media coverage of the Voice campaign and the importance of understanding Australia’s history.  What impact has the Coalition’s decision to oppose the Voice to Parliament had on the media’s coverage of the referendum? Why has the debate around the Voice not led to a deeper discussion about Australian history? And how has the No campaign seemingly chipped away at broad public support for the Voice over recent months? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Griffith University Emeritus Professor Julianne Schultz joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the public discomfort around engaging with Australian history and the Voice campaign so far.  Julianne Schultz is an Emeritus Professor of Media and Culture at Griffith University, a columnist for The Guardian and the author of The Idea of Australia: A search for the soul of the nation.  Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.  Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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.  The following publications were mentioned during this episode:  Marcia Langton: Welcome to Country (2nd edition) by Marcia Langton  This Is Not Propaganda by Peter Pomerantsev  The Idea of Australia by Julianne Schultz  Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].  This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia expert Derek Hutcheson joins us to discuss the reasons for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political longevity and whether his power is finally on the slide.  What impact did the economic chaos in Russia in the decade leading up to Vladimir Putin’s ascension to the presidency have on his political career? Will the suspicious death of his former ally Yevgeny Prigozhin have an impact on Putin’s ability to keep Russia’s powerful elites onside? And will it be generational change rather than a coup that brings about a major realignment in Russian politics? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Derek Hutcheson joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss sources of Putin’s political power and the impact of the disastrous, illegal war on Ukraine on his standing in Russia.  Derek Stanford Hutcheson is a visiting Russia specialist at The Australian National University (ANU) and a Professor of Political Science and Vice-Dean at Sweden’s Malmö University.  Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].  This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Researchers Nicholas Biddle and Intifar Chowdhury join us to discuss the impact of the inflation crisis on Australians’ wellbeing and their attitudes to politics.What impact is inflation and rising interest rates having on the financial and psychological wellbeing of Australians? With over 30 per cent of people finding it difficult to get by on their current income, are voters likely to start pointing the finger at the current government for the state of the economy? And will the tougher economic times affect people’s attitudes during the Voice referendum campaign? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Nicholas Biddle and Dr Intifar Chowdhury join Professor Mark Kenny to discuss the economy, how its affecting political attitudes and the findings of the latest ANUpoll.Nicholas Biddle is an Associate Director and Professor at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods.Intifar Chowdhury is a political scientist and Associate Lecturer at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Roggeveen from the Lowy Institute joins us on this episode of Democracy Sausage to discuss Australia’s search for power and peace in the Indo-Pacific.What is Australia’s biggest asset when it comes to defending against a rising China? Have the economic arguments made in favour of AUKUS been over-egged by the federal government? And how far should Australia go to protect Taiwan’s democracy? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program Sam Roggeveen joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss Australia's security, the AUKUS deal and his new book, The Echidna Strategy.Sam Roggeveen is Director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program and author of The Echidna Strategy: Australia’s Search for Power and Peace.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Megan Davis and George Williams join Mark Kenny live on campus to talk about Australia’s constitution and their new book, Everything you need to know about the Voice.Some critics of the Voice argue it would “introduce race” into the constitution, but is racial discrimination in fact a significant factor in the document and its history? Has the government dropped the ball by not running a civic education campaign in the lead-up to the referendum? And why is Australia’s colonial history not better understood by the broader population? On this special episode of Democracy Sausage, recorded live on campus at The Australian National University (ANU), Professor Megan Davis and Professor George Williams AO join Professor Mark Kenny to talk about the upcoming referendum and their new book, Everything you need to know about the Voice.This episode was recorded live as part of the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author series on 7 August 2023. Everything you need to know about the Voice was published by UNSW Press.Megan Davis is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Society), the Balnaves Chair of Constitutional Law, a Professor of Law and the Director of the Indigenous Law Centre at UNSW.George Williams AO is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Assurance), the Anthony Mason Professor and a Scientia Professor of Constitutional Law at UNSW.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frank Bongiorno and Liz Allen join us to discuss the political challenges facing the Labor Party in the wake of its national conference and the upcoming Intergenerational Report.How damaging is internal criticism within the Labor Party around the leadership’s positions on issues like AUKUS and climate change? How has Anthony Albanese adapted as a leader on the path to the prime ministership and while in office? And what might the next Intergenerational Report reveal about who we are and where we’re going as a nation? Historian Professor Frank Bongiorno and demographer Dr Liz Allen join Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga this week for a sizzling episode of Democracy Sausage.Frank Bongiorno AM is an Australian labour, political and cultural historian and Professor of History at The Australian National University (ANU).Liz Allen is a demographer and social researcher at the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences and the author of The Future of Us: Demography gets a makeover.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former foreign minister Bob Carr joins Mark Kenny to talk about AUKUS, Julian Assange and the Australian government’s language around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ahead of the Labor Party’s national conference.Is Australia acting against its own national interests through the AUKUS deal and other defence agreements being struck with the United States? Should the Albanese government be more vigorous in its support for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange? And what is the prospect of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, former Labor foreign minister the Hon Bob Carr joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss Australian foreign policy in the lead-up to the Labor Party’s national conference.The Hon Bob Carr is a former Australian foreign minister, former New South Wales premier and Industry Professor (Business and Climate Change) at the University of Technology Sydney.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Independent Member of Parliament Kate Chaney joins us to discuss how to make Australian politics more transparent and ways to level the playing field for new and independent political actors.Are political parties writing the rules to protect their own interests rather than those of the Australian public? Why can governments still run expensive, taxpayer-funded advertising campaigns in the lead-up to elections? And how can political donation laws be altered to provide voters with real-time information about the flow of money in a campaign? Independent Member for Curtin Kate Chaney joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss donations, transparency and the importance of public trust in the political system.Kate Chaney is the Independent Federal Member for Curtin in Western Australia.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climatologist Janette Lindesay joins the show to discuss whether climate denial is finally on the decline and the science behind our increasingly severe weather.With unprecedented wildfires in Europe and another hot and dry summer likely in Australia, what’s causing the increasingly intense weather across the globe? Is Australia’s climate denial sector now entering a recession in the face of this new reality? And will the new national anti-corruption commission have a sobering effect on bad behaviour in federal politics? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Janette Lindesay joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss Earth’s changing climate.Janette Lindesay is a climatologist and Professor at the ANU College of Science.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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.Join us on campus or online at The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice: A Dialogue, a special event for students and people interested in learning more about the upcoming Voice referendum.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global referendums expert Matt Qvortrup joins us to bust some referendum myths ahead of this year’s Voice vote and to discuss the political implications of the campaign.Is Peter Dutton piling pressure on the government through the Voice campaign or racing towards a political dead end? Do scare campaigns or celebrity endorsements work in referendums? And is Rishi Sunak just trying to 'save the furniture' for the British Conservative Party ahead of the next election? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, referendums expert and political scientist Professor Matt Qvortrup joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss constitutional changes in Australia and around the world.Matt Qvortrup is a Visiting Professor of Constitutional Law at the ANU College of Law and Chair of Political Science at Coventry University.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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.Join us on campus at The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice: A Dialogue, a special event designed for students and people interested in learning more about the upcoming Voice referendum.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Leigh joins Mark and Marija to discuss breaking up the Labor Party’s factional ‘duopoly’ on this episode of Democracy Sausage.Are Labor’s factions helping or hindering the party’s ability to attract young members? Why is factional power at an all-time high in the party? And how can ‘total factionalism’ be prevented in an era of professional politics and strict party discipline? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Andrew Leigh MP joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the risks of concentrated factional power in the Australian Labor Party.Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury and the Labor Member for Fenner.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Attorney-General George Brandis joins us to discuss the geographic challenges facing the Liberal Party, referendum politics, and Anthony Albanese’s attendance at NATO.Can moderates regain a foothold in the Liberal Party after the 2022 election defeat? Would releasing an early draft of the Voice to Parliament legislation silence some of the ‘yes’ campaign’s critics? And did Anthony Albanese make the right decision to attend the NATO meeting in Vilnius? Professor George Brandis KC joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss these questions and more on this episode of Democracy Sausage.George Brandis KC is a former Attorney-General, the recent Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and a Professor in the Practice of National Security at The Australian National University (ANU).Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce Wolpe joins us to discuss Donald Trump’s impact both in the United States and Australia, and what it would mean if he was re-elected in 2024.How did Trump’s time in the White House change global politics? What has been the impact of ‘Trumpism’ in Australia? And what would it mean for us if he was re-elected? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Bruce Wolpe shares his unique insights into American political history with Professor Mark Kenny. The pair discuss the possible consequences of a Trump second term and Bruce’s new book, Trump’s Australia.Bruce Wolpe is a Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He worked with the Democrats in the US Congress during President Barack Obama's first term, was a senior advisor for Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and a senior executive at Fairfax Media from 1998-2009. Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Speers and Senator Barbara Pocock join us at the barbecue to discuss the PwC scandal, Julia Gillard’s political legacy and the Labor-Greens relationship.Why has the scandal surrounding the misuse of information about multinational tax avoidance measures by some at PwC taken eight years to come to a head? How have public perceptions of Julia Gillard’s prime ministership changed in the decade since she left office? And is the Australian government’s recent contribution to the defence of Ukraine coming fast enough? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, host of Insiders David Speers and Greens Senator for South Australia Barbara Pocock AM join Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the PwC scandal, the treatment of women in parliament and Australia’s assistance to Ukraine.Barbara Pocock AM is a Senator for South Australia and the Greens' Spokesperson for Finance, Employment and Public Sector.David Speers is an award-winning journalist and host of Insiders on the ABC.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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.Nominate outstanding ANU graduates for the 2023 Alumni Awards.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Independent member for Wentworth Allegra Spender discusses how a citizens’ assembly might help parliament break through its housing policy impasse.Could bringing a group of regular citizens together to talk through the issues help politicians find common ground on housing policy? Is the ‘Australian dream’ always likely to be connected to home ownership or will the national mythology begin to change? And are the inequities in the housing market having a lasting impact on our democracy? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Allegra Spender MP joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss how to have a ‘more thoughtful conversation’ about housing in Australia.Allegra Spender is the independent member for the federal seat of Wentworth.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the Trump indictment and Australia’s intelligence services with John Blaxland and Clare Birgin on this episode of Democracy Sausage.Why is the Australian Signals Directorate, a secretive and seemingly esoteric part of the Department of Defence, becoming increasingly important to Australian society? And why have Australian officials tended to be more secretive than their counterparts in other democracies? Professor John Blaxland and Clare Birgin join Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss Australia’s intelligence services, their new book, Revealing Secrets, and why it almost didn’t make it to print.John Blaxland is a Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies at ANU Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs and a regular media commentator.Clare Birgin is a former Australian diplomat, who served as Ambassador in Hungary, Serbia, Kosovo, Romania, North Macedonia and Montenegro.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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.Nominate outstanding ANU graduates for the 2023 Alumni Awards.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Kenny and Marija Taflaga discuss dodgy grants, a hollowed-out public service and what the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation ruling means for journalism.What impact are ‘sports rorts’ and this week’s revelations about community health grants having on public trust in policy-making? With the government’s reliance on consultants in the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons, can the public service re-establish itself as a source of ‘frank and fearless’ advice? And was the Ben Roberts-Smith verdict a ‘last gasp’ victory for investigative journalism? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga discuss the issues plaguing Australia’s public service and why the recent defamation ruling in favour of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times might pull investigative journalism back from the brink.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Brendan Crabb and Chris Wallace join us to discuss whether Australian governments have dropped the ball on COVID-19 prevention.With winter approaching and infections likely to rise, what will the human cost of Australia’s current COVID-19 strategy be in the coming months? Why hasn’t Australia seen a concerted public information campaign about preventing infection? And what would it take for governments to start taking the virus seriously again? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Brendan Crabb and Professor Chris Wallace join Mark Kenny to discuss the ongoing impact of the coronavirus crisis.Brendan Crabb AC is an infectious disease researcher, Director of the Burnet Institute and Professor at the University of Melbourne and Monash University.Chris Wallace is a Professor in the School of Politics, Economics and Society at the University of Canberra.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special episode of Democracy Sausage, Stan Grant discusses the importance of speaking truth with love, his decision to step away from media and his new book, The Queen is dead.Following his decision to step down as host of the ABC’s flagship Q&A program, Stan Grant spoke in front of a live audience on campus at The Australian National University (ANU). In a powerful conversation with Mark Kenny, he discussed writing his new book in just eight weeks following the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the reaction to the ABC’s coverage of King Charles’ coronation. On this special episode of Democracy Sausage, he also shared his experiences growing up “on the other side of history”, racism and the media, and why he’s decided to take a step back from television.This episode was recorded as part of the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author series.Stan Grant is one of Australia’s most respected and awarded journalists, Vice-Chancellor's Chair of Australian-Indigenous Belonging at Charles Sturt University, and author of The Queen is dead.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter van Onselen joins our discussion on the first year of the Albanese government on the 250th episode of Democracy Sausage.How does the first year of the Albanese government compare to that of its predecessors? Can Labor build a case for major reform over time or, facing a weakened opposition after the 2022 election, do they risk letting the opportunity slip away if they don’t act now? And will Labor run a candidate in the Fadden by-election following Stuart Robert’s retirement? On the 250th episode of Democracy Sausage, academic and former journalist Professor Peter van Onselen joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss what comes next for the federal government.Peter van Onselen is a Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the University of Western Australia and a columnist for The Australian.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Demographer Liz Allen and social policy expert Ben Phillips join us to discuss the budget's impact on struggling Australians and the politics of the population debate.What impact will the modest increases to the JobSeeker payment and other benefits have on the lives of people who are doing it tough? Is the federal government doing enough to build the case for more substantial increases in social security spending? And should people be concerned about the impact of a growing population on infrastructure? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Liz Allen and Associate Professor Ben Phillips join Professor Mark Kenny to discuss the politics of population and the case for a stronger safety net.Liz Allen is a demographer and social researcher at the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences and the author of The Future of Us: Demography gets a makeover.Ben Phillips is an Associate Professor and a Principal Research Fellow at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Miranda Stewart and Peter Martin join Mark Kenny to fire up the barbecue for a sizzling post-budget Democracy Sausage special.The budget may be back in black - albeit briefly - but with a $40 per fortnight JobSeeker increase falling far short of what many experts are calling for, are vulnerable Australians going to slip further into the red? In response to the growing spending pressures on the budget, will the government have a serious conversation about tax reform? And will that extend to altering - or even ditching - the controversial stage three tax cuts, despite supporting them in opposition? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Miranda Stewart and Peter Martin join Professor Mark Kenny to pore over the Albanese government’s second budget in office.Miranda Stewart is a Professor of Law at the University of Melbourne Law School, where she is Director of the Tax Group, and a Fellow at the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.Peter Martin AM is a Visiting Fellow at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and the Business and Economy Editor of The Conversation.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian Frank Bongiorno joins the show to discuss coronations, consecrations and policy cremations.Poised to deliver its second budget in under a year, is the Albanese government’s post-election honeymoon period finally coming to an end? Can the Liberal Party be a truly ‘broad church’ or is it now beholden to conservatives and the secret Coalition agreement? And will Australians answer Buckingham Palace’s call to swear an oath of allegiance to their new king through their televisions? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Frank Bongiorno from The Australian National University (ANU) joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss pre-budget politics and the coronation of King Charles III.Frank Bongiorno AM is an Australian labour, political and cultural historian and Professor of History at ANU.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chief Executive Officer of the Grattan Institute Danielle Wood joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the pressures facing the Australian economy and to preview the May budget.How can the federal government manage the significant pressures on the budget while at the same time supporting those most in need during the cost-of-living crisis? Can Australia let go of its property investment ‘fetish’ and ensure everyone has access to an affordable, decent place to live? And with the JobSeeker payment failing to meet people’s basic needs, will the government meet the ‘moral demand’ to raise the rate? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Grattan Institute CEO Danielle Wood joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the government’s options ahead of its second federal budget.Danielle Wood is the Chief Executive Officer of the Grattan Institute.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman joins the show to discuss the current direction of the Liberal Party, the demographic challenges the party faces and how it can engage younger voters.With younger Australians now less likely to become politically conservative as they age, can the Liberal Party connect with this changing electorate? Can the remaining moderate members of the Liberal party room effectively influence its direction and reorient it towards the political centre ground? And will the party’s leadership address the “number one concern” of voters in inner city electorates like North Sydney - climate change? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, leading Liberal moderate and former Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the party’s direction after the 2022 federal election.Trent Zimmerman was the federal Liberal Member for North Sydney from 2015 to 2022.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Kos Samaras joins Mark Kenny and Marija Taflaga to discuss how the Australian electorate is changing and the Liberal Party’s declining fortunes at the ballot box.Out of government everywhere bar Tasmania, is the Liberal Party suffering from cyclical changes in politics or are its problems structural? Why is the party struggling to hold onto metropolitan electorates? And with the primary vote for both major parties on the slide, are minority governments likely to become the norm? Kos Samaras, former Labor Party official and Director of RedBridge social research group, joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the future of Australian politics.Kos Samaras is a Director of the social research firm RedBridge and the former Victorian Deputy Campaign Director for the Australian Labor Party. Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Senator Rex Patrick joins Democracy Sausage this week to discuss the Australian government’s “mind-blowingly absurd” AUKUS decision-making.Has the Australian government put all of its eggs in one nuclear basket with the AUKUS submarines deal, rather than investing in the range of capabilities necessary to defend Australia? Will the “highly risky” British-designed submarines actually make it to Australian shores - and what will be the implications for South Australia’s defence industry workforce if they don’t? And after losing the once-safe Aston in a historic by-election over the weekend, what lessons can the Liberal Party learn about its ability to attract moderate voters? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, former Senator Rex Patrick joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and the fallout from the Aston by-election.Rex Patrick is a former Senator for South Australia and a former submariner. Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Democracy Sausage, we discuss negotiations between the government and the Greens over the ‘safeguard mechanism’ and the findings of the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report with experts Mark Howden and Arnagretta Hunter.Having reached an agreement with the Greens over its signature climate policy, is the government finally putting to bed Australia’s so-called ‘climate wars’? What role will the expanded crossbench play in climate policy negotiations throughout this term? And what does the new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) synthesis report show about the world’s ability to prevent the worst impacts of climate change? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, The Australian National University’s Professor Mark Howden, Dr Arnagretta Hunter and Dr Marija Taflaga join Professor Mark Kenny to discuss climate change and the importance of hope in the policy debate.Mark Howden is the Director of the ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions and a Vice Chair of the IPCC.Arnagretta Hunter is a cardiologist, physician and the Human Futures Fellow in the ANU College of Health and Medicine.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Strategic studies expert Hugh White argues that the AUKUS submarines arrangement is a deeply flawed deal that ties Australia to the United States in the event of a major armed conflict in Asia.Are nuclear-powered submarines the most cost-effective and strategically sound option for Australia? Is Australia paying for the Virginia-class submarines with a portion of its sovereignty as well as a very large sum of money? And is the Australian government basing its decision-making on flawed assumptions about the United States’ ongoing pre-eminence in Asia? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Emeritus Professor Hugh White from The Australian National University (ANU) discusses the AUKUS deal with Professor Mark Kenny.Hugh White is an Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senior Reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton joins the show to discuss what the Robodebt royal commission hearings uncovered and the dire state of Australia’s policymaking apparatus.How was the Robodebt scheme, which illegally and inaccurately used income averaging to calculate welfare debt, allowed to become policy and wreak havoc on some of Australia’s most vulnerable citizens? What did the royal commission hearings, which concluded just last week, reveal about the culture of the Australian public service and its relationship with the former government? And what needs to change so that a policy failure of this magnitude doesn’t happen again? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Senior Reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the Robodebt royal commission.Rick Morton is a Senior Reporter for The Saturday Paper and author ‘Robodebt and the empathy bypass’, a new essay in The Monthly about the Robodebt scandal.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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.If you or anyone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or via http://www.lifeline.org.au/ or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 or via https://www.beyondblue.org.au/.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 on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian Frank Bongiorno joins us to discuss superannuation reforms, Robodebt and the state of policy debate in Australian politics on this episode of Democracy Sausage.Why has the backlash to the government’s superannuation changes been so fervent, despite an overwhelming majority of Australians supporting the move? What did the illegal Robodebt scheme reveal about the exercise of power in Australian politics and society? And what lessons can the Prime Minister and his cabinet learn from past governments if it wants to have a serious, effective conversation about economic reform? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, The Australian National University’s Professor Frank Bongiorno, Dr Marija Taflaga and Professor Mark Kenny discuss policymaking and reform in a febrile - even hostile - media environment.Frank Bongiorno AM is an Australian labour, political and cultural historian and Professor of History at The Australian National University (ANU).Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is a Professor at 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 on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.