Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny
Mark Kenny takes a weekly look at politics and public affairs with expert analysis and discussion from researchers at The Australian National University and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
AUKUS and the US alliance with Hugh White
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 …
Robodebt and Australia’s ‘rotten’ public service
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 …
One rule for some
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 …
Democracy under attack (in 280 characters or less)
Social media expert Jennifer Stromer-Galley joins us to discuss social media, echo chambers and the erosion of democratic institutions on this episode of Democracy Sausage.Effective policymaking depends on people coming together to find common ground, but is that still possible in the increasingly caustic political atmosphere in the United States? What role has social media - particularly Twitter - played in undermining democratic institutions? And what, if anything, can be done to reverse these worrying trends? On this episode of …
As long as it takes
International relations scholar Charlie Miller joins the show to discuss Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine and the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion.Will United States President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Kyiv influence Russia’s strategic calculus in Ukraine? Is a decisive Ukrainian victory on the battlefield possible in the second year of Russia’s invasion, or is the current stalemate likely to continue? And how can lasting peace be achieved? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Charles Miller from ANU School …
The powers that be
Journalist Hamish Macdonald joins Mark Kenny to get under the skin of some of the world’s most prominent political leaders.How did Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin make their way to the top of their respective political systems? What does the leadership of Giorgia Meloni suggest about how Italy has grappled with its past? And how does Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s power extend around the world, including into Australia? In this episode of Democracy Sausage, Walkley Award-winning journalist …
What goes up…
Sophia Gaston and Mark Kenny discuss balloons in the United States, tanks in Ukraine, and railways in the United Kingdom on this episode of Democracy Sausage.It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s a 200-foot-high Chinese surveillance balloon flying over the northern United States (allegedly)! On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Head of Foreign Policy and UK Resilience at British think tank Policy Exchange, Sophia Gaston, joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss whether the discovery of said inflatable has yet again let the …
Can Australia get to ‘yes’?
On this episode of Democracy Sausage, former Chair of the Australian Republican Movement Greg Barns joins Mark Kenny to discuss the Voice referendum and the challenges of running a ‘yes’ campaign.What lessons can the ‘yes’ campaign in the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum learn from the failed republican campaign in 1999? How much is too much when it comes to detail ahead of the vote? And how significant is it that Anthony Albanese and the premiers are supportive of the …
Australia’s big chance with Jim Chalmers
Treasurer of Australia Jim Chalmers joins Mark Kenny and Marija Taflaga to discuss the future of Australia’s economy and society on the first episode of Democracy Sausage for 2023.Despite the simultaneous and interconnected crises ravaging the global economy, can Australia find a way forward that leaves the country stronger? How can the economy support a more robust and inclusive democracy? And what legacy does the new treasurer want to leave? On this first episode of Democracy Sausage for 2023, the …
The third Annual Democracy Sausage Awards
Roll out the red carpet and prepare to get fancy, it’s that time of year again - we present the third edition of the very serious and highly revered Annual Democracy Sausage Awards.Which international leader stood tall in the performance of a lifetime? Who stole the show as Best New Musical Talent? And who selflessly gave it all for the ensemble as Best Supporting Minister? On the Democracy Sausage night-of-nights, Mark Kenny, Marija Taflaga and Frank Bongiorno give out the …