Access to affordable primary healthcare through GPs has collapsed, forcing more people to rely on overcrowded and understaffed public hospitals. These hospitals, meant to be a last resort, have instead become the costly default option. (more…)
Michael Lester
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Overreach and technocratic control in Australian University reform
Announced by the incoming Labor government, the University Accord process and review is being touted as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine the role and funding of Australia’s 40-plus universities. With 1.5 million students enrolled, including 500,000 international students, and generating $35 billion in revenue, universities have been struggling in the wake of COVID-19. (more…)
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Australia’s faltering research and development funding and efforts
Michael Lester in conversation with Professor Ian Chubb AC—policy adviser at the Australian Academy of Science (AAS), former Chief Scientist of Australia, and former Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of several universities—now appointed to lead a once-in-a-generation review of Australia’s faltering research and development funding and efforts. (more…)
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Whistleblowing, truth and the price of courage
Michael Lester in conversation with Kieran Pender, senior lawyer for the Whistleblower Project at the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC), discuss recent high-profile whistleblowing cases in both public (e.g. East Timor) and private (e.g. CBA) sectors. (more…)
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Strategic space in a bounded global order: China, Russia and America
Geoff Raby AO, former Australian ambassador to China, discusses with Michael Lester the remaking of the global order in his book Great Game On: The Contest for Central Asia and Global Supremacy (Melbourne University Press, 2024). (more…)
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Ending ‘Dog Days’ stagnant living standards
Over the past decade, Australia has endured its worst stagnation in living standards since the Great Depression of the 1930s, and has lost its way in terms of economic policies that can restore prosperity, says Ross Garnaut in conversation with Michael Lester. (more…)
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The Future of Australia’s telecommunications sector
While successfully rolling out 5G mobile wireless technology and achieving high rates of penetration and quality services for smartphones, telecom providers like Telstra have faced significant investments in infrastructure. At the same time, they have struggled to raise prices and maintain profitability, particularly in the face of the broadband network rollout (NBN), which has come at great taxpayer expense and performed poorly by international standards. (more…)
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The ABC must reinforce its commitment to unbiased reporting
Jonathan Holmes, a respected journalist and former host of Media Watch, with an impressive career spanning over 40 years including work as an executive producer for programs like Four Corners, Foreign Correspondent, and 7.30 Report, has shared his perspective on the challenges facing Australia’s national broadcaster, the ABC with Michael Lester. (more…)
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Doubt, distrust, fear, and uncertainty surround the U.S. election process
With only days until the US Presidential election on 5 November and with polls calling the race 50:50. Michael Lester in discussion with Amelia Lester, Deputy Editor, Foreign Policy magazine, Washington DC, discuss what the conduct of the campaign tells us about the health of American democracy and the integrity of its electoral processes and institutions. (more…)
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Israel-Gaza war, justice and hope: the ‘sublime ideal’ of inalienable dignity
Distinguished moral philosopher and public intellectual Raimond Gaita (FAHA), Professor, University College London, and Melbourne Law school, discusses his approach towards a moral understanding of the Israel Gaza war based on the ideas collected in the book ‘Justice and Hope: Essays, Lectures and Other writings’, (Edited by Scott Stephens), Melbourne University Publishing, Paperback edition October 2024. (more…)
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Never ending war on terror keeps us anxious, fearful, committed
President Bush declared the War on Terror in 2001. Dr Alison Broinowski AM, Australians for War Power Reforms (AWPR), former diplomat and Author, argues that America and its Western Allies including Australia have been involved in multiple ‘never ending’ foreign wars with no declaration in sight of victory. (more…)
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Antisemitism, Zionism and the war in Gaza: Sara Dowse, Author
Sara Dowse, Northern Beaches resident and author, discusses the rise in antisemitism in the context of the Israel Gaza war and the ways in which the latest definitions of the term, including in Australia, are weaponised to silence opposition to, and consideration of, pathways to peace and justice by conflation with Zionism and lack of a full appreciation of the history of Israel statehood since establishment in 1948 and subsequent dispossession and dehumanisation of the people of Palestine. (more…)
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Federal seat redistribution implications of bias to small tweaks
The Australian Electoral Commission has announced proposed redistributions of the boundaries of federal election seats with NSW losing a seat (North Sydney), while Victoria and Western Australia each gained a seat with the average number in a NSW seat, increased from the current 118,000 to 121,000 and expected to grow to about 130,000 by 2028. (more…)
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Australia-America odd couple relationship needs repair
The largely unrecognised risk to Australia that our powerful ally will strategically collapse through internal political stresses is greater than the much discussed threat of war with China. Allan Behm, Director, International & Security Affairs Program, The Australia Institute, in conversation with Michael Lester about his new book The Odd Couple: The Australia-America relationship (Upswell Publishing 2024). (more…)
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Aged care reforms unfair, unreasonable, unsustainable
Bipartisan agreement between the government and opposition have resulted in compromised, ageist inflected amendments to aged care legislation that do not respond adequately to the damning findings and reasoned recommendations of the royal commission. (more…)
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Culpable corporate mind, legal blameworthiness
Corporate culpability under law relies on a”Where’s Wally” logic to identify a natural person within a corporation to hold responsible for corporate wrongdoing but finding the “smoking gun” has proven elusive. (more…)
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Secrecy Australia: big gap between official information and reality: Peter Cronau, Declassified Australia
Australia is blanketed in a climate of secrecy with over 800 secrecy offences criminalised with jail terms and large fines under nearly 200 pieces of legislation. (more…)
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Northern militarisation overlooking Indigenous rights: Prof Henry Reynolds, History, University of Tasmania
Indigenous Australians have extensive land rights across Northern Australia where large scale militarisation is being undertaken, raising questions about processes of consultation and underlying Indigenous rights endorsed by Australia under international treaty arrangements. (more…)
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Rebuilding public service from politicisation and externalisation
Restoring trust and integrity in the Australian Public Service requires tackling the corrosive effects of past politicisation (secretary contracts) and externalisation (professional consultants) that have undermined capacity and independence, as highlighted by the Royal Commission on Robodebt fiasco, and parliamentary committee revelations around the extensive engagement of major consulting firms. (more…)
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Carbon budget blown, only 50% chance 1.5 degrees
As greenhouse emissions accumulate each year and linger for decades in the atmosphere, effectively adding another layer of climate warming ‘blankets’ on the globe, it chews up our carbon ‘budget’ available to reach the Paris 2015 agreement target of 1.5 degree warming. I discuss this with David McKewan, director, adaptive capability, net zero program and project management consultancy, and author of ‘The Adaptive Economy‘. (more…)
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How to fix poverty? Universal basic income
A single standard income payment, untaxed and unconditional to every person, will provide income security and the freedom to choose education, work and lifestyle. It would replace existing targeted welfare payments (not programs) and be integrated for administration purposes with the taxation system. Giving an equal payment to everyone would overcome poverty while boosting participation, skills, productivity and growth. (more…)
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The Americanisation of our public policy, media and national interest
John Menadue AO eminent former public servant, ambassador and businessman – now independent founder, publisher and Editor in Chief of the online public policy journal ‘Pearls and Irritations‘ – offers an in depth conversation about how Australian public policy is making us more vulnerable in dangerous geopolitical times, by compromising pursuit of our sovereign interests, power and diplomatic capacity in favour of over reliance on our alliance with America and its interests. (more…)
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Peak China? Judge by outcomes not ideology
Distinguishing in part between cyclical and structural economic challenges facing China, (eg, real estate busts vis further urbanisation potential) Geoff Raby, AO, former Australian Ambassador to China, to APEC and WTO, is sceptical of arguments propounding ‘peak china’ economic growth. (more…)
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Protest rights: diffuse, proscribed and discretionary
With no formal constitutional provisions or bill of rights the right to protest in Australia relies upon common law judicial interpretations, is heavily politicised and proscribed by governments in legislation, and relies for administration in a highly discretionary manner by police. (more…)
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Half hearted housing policies ignore key role of public housing: Michael Pascoe
The housing crisis will not be solved for those who are suffering the most by the mish mash of half hearted, small steps, and policy responses currently favoured by governments. They lack the courage to commit to direct government intervention on a sufficient scale in the failed housing market in the form of publicly funded, developed and owned housing for the most vulnerable. (more…)
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Guns, butter & taxes: hard choices, volatile economy
The Australian government needs to stand up against growing global protectionism and make some hard budgetary choices between guns and butter, defence and welfare, and the need to reform taxes if it is to avoid taking on too much at once in a world economy characterised by uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, and in an Australian economy treading a bumpy and narrow path balancing fiscal and monetary policy. (more…)
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Nuclear and gas expansion weakens our national security
Former Australian defence force chief and admiral retired, Chris Barrie frankly discusses with Michael Lester his deep concerns that Australia is complacent in its unwillingness to face up to the threat to our national security posed by global climate change.
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Nuclear energy in Australia: why now, what sense?
Why is opposition leader Peter Dutton campaigning on nuclear energy for Australia at this time?
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A future made in Australia?
Is Australia’s new industrial policy a way forward to a competitive, innovative, and sustainable future in which the benefits of new technologies such as renewable energy and artificial intelligence are widely shared throughout society? Or a reversion to past failed attempts to protect local industry, pick winners at taxpayers’ expense, lag in innovation and productivity while further contributing to growing inequality by enrichment of the rentier elites? (more…)
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Defence: who are we, what do we stand for?
Allan Behm, head of international and security at the Australia Institute, discusses foreign affairs, defence, AUKUS and security issues facing Australia. Behm poses the question: do we know who we are and what we stand for in attempting to secure our national interest?
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