• Permanent unpredictability with Jim Chalmers
    Jun 18 2025

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers joins Mark Kenny to talk our changing economic environment, productivity and ‘progressive patriotism’.


    Amid the unpredictability of the current economic environment, how can Australia benefit from global change? What is the government planning to do to ensure productivity roundtables are actually productive? And how can we meet the challenge of decarbonising our economy?

    On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Jim Chalmers joins Professor Mark Kenny to talk about how to best position Australia’s economy for the future.


    Hon Dr Jim Chalmers is the Treasurer and the Member for Rankin.

    Mark Kenny is the Director of 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 democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

    This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    33 mins
  • The soul of the party
    Jun 10 2025

    Join Democracy Sausage co-hosts to discuss the US, domestic fiscal debates and what to expect in the weeks ahead.

    What will the agenda be for the Albanese-Trump meeting at the G7, especially with the unfolding instability in the US?

    What does the conversation around the proposed changes to superannuation taxation say about our expectations for government?

    And how will Sussan Ley and Anthony Albanese change how their parties operate?

    On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga catch up to discuss the US under Trump and issues closer to home.


    Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.

    Mark Kenny is the Director of 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 democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

    This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    54 mins
  • On the road
    Jun 3 2025

    Former Attorney-General George Brandis joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the Liberal Party’s “Jack Kerouac political experience” and wider political trends.


    Is the Liberal Party’s shift to the right a more recent trend or has it been a long time coming? Does the party still need to find itself? And is it finally time for gender quotas?

    On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor George Brandis KC joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss rediscovering the Liberal Party.


    George Brandis KC is a former Attorney-General, the recent 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 Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.

    Mark Kenny is the Director of 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 democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

    This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    45 mins
  • Class is in session
    May 27 2025

    The hosts of Democracy Sausage are joined by political scientist Jill Sheppard and ANU students to gauge the current state of politics.


    Will the tensions between the Liberal and National parties be a shot in the foot or an opportunity to reshape the parties? What questions and issues linger for Australia’s young people after the federal election? And what will it take for a Liberal party to connect with young people?

    On this episode of Democracy Sausage, recorded in a political science classroom, Dr Jill Sheppard and Dr Marija Taflaga take Professor Mark Kenny back to school to discuss the changing face of Australian politics.

    A special thanks to the student panel for volunteering and contributing to this podcast.


    Jill Sheppard is a Senior Lecturer in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. She is an investigator on several major survey studies of Australian public opinion and behaviour, including the Australian Election Study, World Values Survey, and Asian Barometer Survey.

    Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.

    Mark Kenny is the Director of 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 democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

    This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    56 mins
  • Journey of rediscovery
    May 20 2025

    Correspondent Jason Koutsoukis joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the latest power plays, election missteps and the lost heart of the Liberal party.


    How did the Liberal party misjudge the election? Now returned to power, can Labor deliver on its election promises? And is Sussan Ley up to the task of reshaping a Liberal party adrift?

    On this episode of Democracy Sausage, journalist Jason Koutsoukis joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss stories from this new parliament.


    Jason Koutsoukis is a special correspondent for The Saturday Paper.

    Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.

    Mark Kenny is the Director of 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 democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

    This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    53 mins
  • Cabinet battles
    May 13 2025

    Political scientist Dr Jill Sheppard and independent electoral analyst Ben Raue unpack the latest results on seats and preference flows, the fractional battles in the party room and the two-party system.


    With some of the election dust settled, what does it tell us about the relevancy of two-party preferred polling? Can Albanese maintain party unity with a landslide victory, a huge backbench and a diversity of voices? And will new Liberal party leader, Sussan Ley, be able to keep her party room onside?


    On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Jill Sheppard and Ben Raue talk to Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga about interesting results, cabinet battles and how to create unity without silencing diverse voices.


    Ben Raue is an independent electoral analyst and the founder of The Tally Room.

    Jill Sheppard is a Senior Lecturer in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. She is an investigator on several major survey studies of Australian public opinion and behaviour, including the Australian Election Study, World Values Survey, and Asian Barometer Survey.

    Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.

    Mark Kenny is the Director of 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 democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

    This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    46 mins
  • Can't divide your way to unity
    May 6 2025

    Join the hosts of Democracy Sausage for a discussion about Labor’s victory and what it means.


    What can we expect from Albanese’s leadership approach the second time around? Can we expect Labor to continue to have the same level of unity? And how can the Liberals rebuild after their election defeat?

    On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga discuss the outcome of the 2025 federal election.


    Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.

    Mark Kenny is the Director of 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 democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

    This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    51 mins
  • The pub test
    Apr 30 2025

    In the final week before ballots are counted, Jill Sheppard and Frank Bongiorno join Democracy Sausage for a live discussion where they sink their teeth into the 2025 federal election.


    Who won the four debates, and do they even change people’s minds? In a scenario where we end up with a minority government, what can we expect from the crossbench? And which questions still remain in our live audience’s minds?

    On this live episode of Democracy Sausage, recorded at an ANU pub, Dr Jill Sheppard and Professor Frank Bongiorno join Dr Marija Taflaga and Professor Mark Kenny for a final rundown of the 2025 election.


    Jill Sheppard is a Senior Lecturer in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. She is an investigator on several major survey studies of Australian public opinion and behaviour, including the Australian Election Study, World Values Survey, and Asian Barometer Survey.

    Frank Bongiorno is a Professor at the ANU School of History. He is President of the Australian Historical Association and the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

    Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.

    Mark Kenny is the Director of 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 democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

    This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 5 mins