The search for the “sensible centre” in Australia politics is pointless and flies in the face of evidence, says Richard Denniss.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Richard Denniss joins Ebony Bennett to discuss why the constant search for the centre ground doing Australians harm, why bipartisanship can actually be bad, and his new essay, Dead Centre.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website.

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

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

Show notes:

A chance to be brave: understanding Australia’s election result, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (May 2025)

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

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

Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

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From Gaza to AUKUS, pressure for change is building on Australian foreign policy.

On this special crossover episode of Follow the Money and After America, Dr Emma Shortis joins Glenn Connley to discuss the Australian protests calling for more action to protect Palestinians, the momentum against the troubled AUKUS submarine pact, and Trump’s decision to fire his chief of labour statistics after job growth slowed.

This discussion was recorded on Monday 4 August 2025.

You can sign our petition calling on the Australian Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Host: Glenn Connley, Senior Media Advisor, the Australia Institute // @glennconnley

Show notes:

‘Right moment’? Australia risks losing power and respect on Gaza by Amy Remeikis, The New Daily (August 2025)

Palestinian statehood vote at Victorian Labor conference heaps more pressure on PM by Benita Kolovos, Guardian Australia (August 2025)

Polling – AUKUS, the Australia Institute (June 2025)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

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

Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly three decades after the Port Arthur massacre, there are more guns than ever before in Australia and there is still no national firearms register.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Alice Grundy and Skye Predavec join Ebony Bennett to discuss how the Howard Government’s brave reforms in the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre are falling short of its aims – and what federal, state and territory governments can do to keep Australians safe.

1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, chat online or video call via their website.

Correction: This podcast was updated to remove a reference to buying firearms and ammunition interstate when there is a limit on the licence, which does not appear in our research. What is possible is for a licence-holder to buy firearms and travel to another state.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Alice Grundy, Research Manager and Managing Editor, the Australia Institute // @alicektg

Guest: Skye Predavec, Anne Kantor Fellow, the Australia Institute // @skyelark

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

Show notes:

Australian gun control: 29 years after Port Arthur by Rod Campbell, Skye Predavec and Alice Grundy, the Australia Institute (May 2025)

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

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

Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

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Tasmanians have returned another power-sharing parliament – it’s now up to the major parties to make it work.

Australians have elected power-sharing parliaments in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania – and a single party almost never has a majority in the federal Senate. On this episode of Follow the Money, Leanne Minshull and Eloise Carr join Ebony Bennett to discuss why collaborative parliaments are popular and how our elected officials can make them work.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Leanne Minshull, Strategy Director, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull

Guest: Eloise Carr, Director, the Australia Institute Tasmania // @eloise-carr

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

Show notes:

Power & Partnership: What will Tasmania’s next power-sharing parliament look like?, the Australia Institute (July 2025)

GST Reform: How to stop the states being short-changed, the Australia Institute (July 2025)

Polling – Tasmania power-sharing, the Australia Institute (July 2025)

Whether for or against the stadium, Tasmanians overwhelmingly feel dudded by the AFL – poll, the Australia Institute (June 2025)

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

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

Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

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Amy Remeikis and Matt Grudnoff preview the first parliamentary sitting week.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Amy Remeikis and Matt Grudnoff join Ebony Bennett discuss the political relevance of the housing crisis, the storm-in-a-teacup over some Treasury subheadings, and #NotAllEconomists.

You can sign our petition calling on the Australian Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Amy Remeikis, Chief Political Analyst, the Australia Institute // @amyremeikis

Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff

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

Show notes:

“Mugged by reality”: Australia’s AUKUS disaster with Malcolm Turnbull, After America (June 2025)

RBA moves goalposts and keeps rates on hold, Dollars & Sense (July 2025)

Raising revenue right: Better tax ideas for the 48th Parliament by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (March 2025)

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

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

Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By limiting generous tax concessions for the wealthy and collecting revenue from Australia’s natural resources, the Government could fund health and education systems that work properly.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Matt Grudnoff joins Ebony Bennett discuss Government’s productivity agenda, why the GST is failing to do the job it was designed for, and how 91 millionaires managed to pay no tax.

Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff

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

Show notes:

The huge cost to states budgets of failing GST, the Australia Institute (July 2025)

Raising revenue right: Better tax ideas for the 48th Parliament by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (March 2025)

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

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

Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labor won big and the Coalition got “smashed”, but the major parties have never been more reliant on preferences.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Bill Browne joins Ebony Bennett discuss the extraordinary scale of Labor’s victory in the May federal election, what the devastating result might mean for the Coalition, and why a large crossbench in federal parliament could be here to stay.

Guest: Bill Browne, Director of Democracy & Accountability, the Australia Institute // @browne90

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

Show notes:

Major parties have never relied more on preferences, the Australia Institute (June 2025)

For major party leaders, the Greens, independents and minor parties are the closest threat, the Australia Institute (June 2025)

The 2025 federal election is the first where a major party received fewer votes than independents and minor parties, the Australia Institute (June 2025)

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

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

Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

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Despite demands from the hawks that the Australia Government fall in line with the United States over Iran, it’s not inevitable that Australia supports illegal American military intervention.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Dr Emma Shortis and Allan Behm join Ebony Bennett to discuss the American bombing of Iran, the Albanese Government’s choice to back the Trump Administration’s decision, and why upholding and strengthening a rules-based global order is more than just “nostalgia”.

You can sign our petition calling on the Australian Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS.

Our independence is our strength – and only you can make that possible. By donating to the Australia Institute’s End of Financial Year appeal today, you'll help fund the research changing Australia for the better.

Guest: Emma Shortis, Director of International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Guest: Allan Behm, Senior Advisor in International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute

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

Show notes:

After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press (May 2025)

Why did Trump join the Israel-Iran war?, After America (June 2025)

As the US chooses destruction over diplomacy in Iran, Australia has to decide between principle and prostration by Allan Behm, Guardian Australia (June 2025)

Australia needs to find its courage because no matter what Trump says, this is not over by Emma Shortis, The Sydney Morning Herald (June 2025)

War Crimes: Where do Responsibility and Accountability Start and End? by Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (May 2025)

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

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

Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.