A weekly conversation about politics and current events, international affairs, history, art, books, and the natural world, to illuminate the issues faced by society and explore them in new ways.
Director Jennifer Peedom discusses her new film, RIVER. It's the sequel to the 2017 hit documentary MOUNTAIN, reuniting the creative team of Jennifer Peedom, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, narrator Willem Dafoe, and writer…
Director Jennifer Peedom discusses her new film, RIVER. The film explores the life and death of rivers and how humanity’s fortunes are intrinsically tied to them. RIVER is the sequel to the 2017…
Amy speaks in-depth with best-selling author Johann Hari about his new book, 'Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention.' Johann explores the attention crisis and why we have lost our ability to focus…
Amy speaks in-depth with best-selling author Johann Hari about his new book, Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention. Johann explores the attention crisis and why we have lost our ability to focus…
Historian Anna Clark speaks with Amy about her new book, 'Making Australian History.' In a wide-ranging conversation, Anna looks at the history of Australian history, our changing and contested national story, and the…
Associate Professor Andrew Godwin, Principal Fellow at the Melbourne Law School, explores the fascinating life and work of William Ah Ket (1876-1936), Australia’s first barrister of Chinese heritage. He was widely admired and…
Independent political candidate and cultural sector leader Jo Dyer joins Amy to discuss what has gone wrong with federal politics and how we can change it for the better. Jo argues that there…
Historian and author Dr David Brophy explores his very relevant book, ‘China Panic: Australia’s Alternative to Paranoia and Pandering.’ David discusses this in the context of the federal government and media's escalating rhetoric…
Jo Dyer, independent candidate for Boothby (federal, SA) and cultural curator talks about where Australian politics went awry and how independents can reconstruct it – in her book, Burning Down The House: Reconstructing…
Does Australia need a "big" government? Dr Richard Denniss, chief economist at The Australia Institute examines the false narrative that Australians have been told for decades – that the less government spends, the…
Poet and advocate Dr Sarah Holland-Batt discusses the crisis in aged care in-depth, and talks of the many older Australians suffering and dying of COVID-19 due to unprecedented COVID-19 outbreaks in aged-care homes.
Historian Emma Shortis and Guardian journalist Luke Henriques-Gomes review the year in Australian and U.S. politics. Epidemiologist and WHO Adviser Professor Mary-Louise McLaws takes us through everything we need to know about the…
Epidemiologist and WHO Adviser Professor Mary-Louise McLaws takes us through everything we need to know about the Omicron variant, the current COVID-19 outbreaks in Victoria and NSW, plus how to best stay safe…
Economist Dr Richard Denniss debunks the political spin from Canberra during the last sitting week of parliament. He looks at the modelling and "plan" behind the Coalition's 'Net Zero by 2050' target, as…
Have you heard about the damage being done to our orbital environments by rapidly growing satellite mega-constellations? Writer Ceridwen Dovey discusses her award-winning essay, "Everlasting Free Fall.” She writes that, “in the past…
Historian Emma Shortis talks about the latest in US politics including the Virginia election, as well as Australian diplomacy fails, and the COP26 climate talks. Emma is an author and Research Fellow at…
Political historian Judith Brett reflects on over 40 years of writing about Australian politics, as she discusses subjects from her new book of past essays, Doing Politics: Writing on Public Life. Judith…
Guardian Australia Environment Reporter Graham Readfearn previews the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow and talks about Australia's global reputation and history at UN climate negotiations since Kyoto. He also discusses the Coalition government's…
Historian and author Stuart Kells talks about his new book, 'Sold Down The River: How Robber Barons and Wall Street Traders Cornered Australia’s Water Market.' He and co-author Scott Hamilton look at how…
Guardian Australia Environment Reporter Graham Readfearn previews the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow and talks about Australia's global reputation and history at the climate negotiations since Kyoto. He also discusses the Coalition government's…
Greg Mullins, long-serving volunteer firefighter and former NSW Fire and Rescue Commissioner discusses his book, 'Firestorm: Battling Super-Charged Natural Disasters.' Greg describes the dire effects of human-caused climate change on bushfire seasons here…
Greg Mullins, firefighter and former NSW Fire and Rescue Commissioner discusses his book, 'Firestorm: Battling Super-Charged Natural Disasters.' Greg describes the dire effects of human-caused climate change on bushfire seasons here in Australia…
Historian Dr Alexis Bergantz from RMIT talks about the diplomatic fallout from the AUKUS security and submarine announcement, and why Australia should have seen France’s hurt coming. NGV senior curators Dr Ted Gott…
NGV senior curators Dr Ted Gott and Dr Miranda Wallace discuss the pioneering artists and works featured in the NGV's latest major exhibition, French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Art, Boston
Gabrielle Chan returns to talk about her new book, Why You Should Give A F*ck About Farming. Luke Henriques-Gomes, Social affairs & inequality editor at the Guardian, talks about inequality in Australia, including…
Dr Richard Denniss, chief economist at The Australia Institute talks federal politics and closely examines Morrison's "safe plan" for opening up, including Richard's recent report on the centrality of Australia's TTIQ (Test, Trace…
Dr Richard Denniss scrutinises the Prime Minister's "safe plan" for opening up Australia in a COVID world, and debunks the neo-liberal political spin from Canberra and NSW. Does the Doherty Institute's modelling support…
Rachel Withers, Contributing Editor to The Monthly, discusses the latest in federal politics. Wildlife cinematographer Nick Hayward and behavioural ecologist Dr Anastasia Dalziell take us into the forest, describing the brilliant mimicry of…
Renowned wildlife cinematographer Nick Hayward and behavioural ecologist Dr Anastasia Dalziell take us into the forest, describing the brilliant mimicry and fascinating behaviours of the lyrebird in Australia, and their involvement in The…
Historian Dr Emma Shortis speaks in-depth about her brilliant debut book, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia’s Fatal Alliance with the United States. Guardian Australia’s environment reporter Graham Readfearn discusses the Australian government’s lobbying efforts…
Historian and author Dr Emma Shortis joins Amy to speak in-depth about her brilliant debut book, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia’s Fatal Alliance with the United States. We begin the conversation considering the situation…
Rod Campbell, Research Director at The Australia Institute talks about how Australia can gain a ‘Nordic Edge’ in its policy and politics. Rod co-edited a new book called, The Nordic Edge: Policy Possibilities…
Amy speaks with Bill Bowtell about pandemic politics in Australia, the 'Zero COVID' strategy under threat in NSW, lockdowns, state and national vaccination targets, and all things public health. Bill Bowtell is an…
Author Linda Jaivin discusses her new book, The Shortest History of China. Linda explores with Amy the vast expanse of China's fascinating cultural, philosophical, and political history from ancient and imperial times to…
Journalist Maddison Connaughton joins Amy to talk about the latest in federal politics. Epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws explains how Australia can reach herd immunity against COVID-19 and when children should be vaccinated against the…
Epidemiologist Professor Mary-Louise McLaws explains how Australia can reach herd immunity against COVID-19 and when children should be vaccinated against the virus in Australia. She also discusses the Delta variant outbreak in NSW…
Rachel Withers, Contributing Editor of The Monthly discusses the latest in federal politics. People for A Living Moorabool's Cameron Steele and water law expert Dr Erin O'Donnell discuss Victoria's most flow-stressed river –…
People for A Living Moorabool's Cameron Steele and water law and nature rights expert Dr Erin O'Donnell discuss Victoria's most flow-stressed river – the Moorabool River – and a new local documentary film…
Epidemiologist Professor Mary-Louise McLaws speaks in-depth about Victoria's current coronavirus outbreak and fourth lockdown, as well as the urgent drive to get Australians vaccinated.
Mary-Louise talks about how long this lockdown should last…
