This week we talk to Kos Samaras - a laser sharp political pundit and advisor. The grandson of Greek partisan communists, raised in Broadmeadows, Kos rose through the ranks to become one of the most influential political figures in Victoria. Now, a strategist and pollster he offered some intriguing insights into the state of modern politics and where the major parties are going wrong. Tune in for a fascinating chat about why things like the UFC can shake up an election campaign.

In the first of our pre-election podcast interview, The Betoota Advocate speaks to Senator Larissa Waters from the Australian Greens. She's been around a long time, and Queensland keeps making it clear that she's not going anywhere. The Betoota Advocate hits Senator Waters with some tough questions about Greens politics, and their tactics. To her credit, she answers them honestly.

The PM joins Betoota Talks this week to talk about his experiences, hurdles and future plans in the top job. With an election around the corner, The Betoota Advocate poses the question to him: What have you done differently to Scott Morrison? He answers that and more. This interview also includes a lot of chat about the South Sydney Rabbitohs, but do not let that deter you!

This week we speak to Graeme Turner, a former Emeritus professor and a man who has spent a lifetime studying the nation's culture, politics and media. He offers up some insight into how we entered the political mess we are in, and where to from here. He's just released his newest book, The Shrinking Nation: How we got here and what can be done about it.

The Prime Minister is floating the idea of sending us all back to the voting booth… That's if the Greens don't pass his housing bill. There's a few other issues flaring up, and Dave runs us through the new reforms brought in to deal with the issue of problem gambling.

It's been a pretty bumper week in the sewer of Federal Politics. We run through the appointment of Michele Bullock as the new RBA Governor, The Fadden by-election, the lack of fallout from the criminal Robodebt Scheme and the 2,000 word essays that are about to land in your mailbox.

This week on News From The Trough we canvas a variety of topics that have captured our attention. From the British PM weighing into the Little Johnny Saga, to the establishment of the NACC and the review into the NDIS there is a fair bit to catch up on. Have a listen.

On this edition of News From The Trough we discuss the pursuit of perfection when it comes to the housing crisis and why these interest rates keep on going up.

This week there's plenty to discuss. The Governor General's been living it up at his tax payer funded residence, International Albo's been drinking Strong Zeros in Japan, the Gold Coast is looking for their next pollie and PWC have been pulling the piss - 100s of billions of the stuff. Some good giggles. Have a listen.

The government has finally dropped their 2023 budget, and it isn't exactly straight fire. So, we jumped in to run through the winners, the losers, the eye-brow raising announcements and why Twiggy Forrest is pretty pleased with it all. Have a listen.

With the nation still battling through a major housing crisis facilitated by both major parties, we spoke to the Housing Spokesperson for the Greens, Max Chandler-Mather. Labor and the Liberals seem to be on the same page in regards to the status quo when it comes from housing, so it was nice to take to someone from outside the tent who has some slightly different ideas on how to change an issue affecting millions of Aussies.

This week on News From The Trough there is plenty to dissect. From Lydia Thorpe's fighting out the front of a strip club to the Libs fighting in the party room, it's all been happening in the world of politics. The Voice debate has gotten toxic and the Labor government looks set to pass a pathetic budget while the Opposition tear each other to shreds. Have a listen and let us know what you reckon.

It's been a reasonably busy few weeks in politics across the country. It's also been a tough few weeks for the Liberals. Pauline Hanson and Mark Latham are back in the news and believe it or not, we've actually seen some climate change legislation passed. You wouldn't read about it, so have a listen.

On the eve of the NSW state election, we speak to a man whose spent the last few years supporting a new wave of independent voices. He's a businessman whose gotten involved in the world of politics, and seems to be on a team that's taking more wins than losses. Have a listen to our chat with Simon.

With the NSW election looming, we decided to stick with Southern politics for another week. As an independent newspaper we always love to speak to Independent voices - so we spoke to one of the Independents who is taking it to the incumbent government. Judith Hannan who is running for the seat of Wollondilly dialed into the show from just outside of Sydney to tell us about why she got involved in politics, why she's a real chance, and the upcoming state election. Have a listen.

With the NSW State Election just around the corner, we thought we'd have a chat about what's going on down in our least favourite state. While we hate Sydney, it would be remiss of us to ignore the 2nd biggest election in the country. Do join us.

This week we speak to one of the free thinkers in our Federal Parliament. While she normally sits with the Liberals, The MP for Bass has made headlines over the last couple of years for her tendency to cross the floor and vote for what she actually believes in. We spoke to Bridget about getting into politics in Tasmania, her relationships with her colleagues, crossing the floor and plenty more. Have a listen.

This week we address the attacks on the average Australians who make up the 0.5% of the population that have more than 3 million dollars in the their super, the fall out from Anthony Albanese and Lydia Thorpe’s Mardi Gras appearances and the very crook system that is the carbon offset scheme.

This week Dave and Wendell have a run at the news from the trough without the trusty hand of Lesley Burley. Parliament is back in session and there's plenty to cover. Have a listen.

With less than 6 weeks until the NSW election, we decided to dip our toe back into the water of state politics. The current Premier of the worst state and city in the country joined Decode to talk to us about why he hates poker machines so much. This was our chat with Dominic Perrottet, give it a whirl.

We are back for 2k23. It's be an extended break here in the Channel Country, but it's time to get back into the regular recaps of all the stuff that goes on in the world of politics. Les Burley gives us a run done of where we sit as we enter Pre-Season, before we discuss the latest developments on the referendum as well as the Greens plans to free the herb. Have a listen!

The headlines around a proposed Voice to parliament have begun multiplying over the last couple of weeks, with the Opposition Leader's pretending he's a details guy and the Prime Minister's pushing on with his keep it simple campaign. We decided to talk to a constitutional expert about why we will be having a referendum, what it will achieve, and whether the devil really is in the detail. Have a listen.

This week, we speak to a national security expert, a journalist, an author, and a man who flew into Ukraine as Russia started their invasion. He joins the show to run as through what he saw, how we got here, and where it could all end. Have a listen. Listen to DIPLOMATES PODCAST here

After a little sabbatical, Decode is back. This week we are talking to the leader of the NSW Labor Party, and the man hoping to be the next Premier of the worst state in the country - NSW (Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong). We asked Chris about what's left to sell in NSW, why the Coalition have been in power for so long, and whether he's open to leaning into his time as a Firefighter and rolling out a Campaign Calendar. Have a listen.

This week we have a government Minister on the show. Unlike the previous Minister, Chris Bowen made the trip out to Betoota. He stopped into the studio to talk to us about celebrating on election night, the East Coast's gas crisis, the future of our nation and economy and whether the Prime Minister has made a move on his portfolio yet. Have a listen.

It's been a glorious return to form this week from the Former Prime Minister. It's been revealed that he was the busiest man on the planet over the last couple of years (despite what Hawaiian holidays might make you think) with no ends to the jobs he was taking over. So, we are talking to Constitutional Law Expert Anne Twomey who has some very interesting things to say. Give it a listen.

This week on Decode we do something a little different. While we normally stick to the realm of Federal, but it's been an incredible few weeks, months and years down in the world's largest open air sewer. The Daily Telegraph's State Political Reporter Angira Bharadwaj joins Decode to explain what the hell is going on in NSW State Politics. Have a listen.

The bells have rung and class has returned to Parliament house for another term. There's old faces, new faces, and plenty to figure out. A few big pieces of legislation have already been introduced and the Prime Minister has followed through on his promise to create an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Have a listen.

Finally, The Advocate has managed to nab a sit down with the Lambie Network. Jacqui and Tammy join us to run through keeping the bastards honest, staffing cuts, the drought in Canberra, a controversial opinion on a Tassie AFL team and much more. Have a listen!

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has returned to the spotlight in a sensational way, showing the nation that he may have been spending a bit too much time with his controversial mates. The new government has told the crossbench to make suggestions on their climate policy that they won't listen to, and are frantically trying to figure out how to be better than the last lot when it comes to the spicy cough. There's plenty going on before the return to parliament, so get up to speed here.

This year's election saw more crossbenchers elected than ever before, with nearly a third of Australians voting for independents and minor parties. However, the new government has begun its relationship with them by kneecapping their staff. Understandably that hasn't gone down too well, so we spoke to Tony Windsor, one of the most famous independents the nation's seen, to explain to us exactly what is going on. Poor form from Don Albanese? Or saving money by preventing the Teals from hiring their relatives? Have a listen and let us know what you reckon. 

The new Prime Minister is facing questions about the amount of time he's spending overseas, leading us to analyse the comparisons between war-torn Ukraine and Waikiki Beach. Cross-benchers are up in arms about having their staffers taken out and the Liberal party has finally admitted there are some factions within their party and they are going into battle. We are back in the swing of things, have a listen. 

We are back! The dust has settled on the election campaign and the news cycle is firing up. So we jump into the booth to discuss the East Cost Energy crisis and try and figure out why one of the biggest exporters of gas in the world can’t keep the lights and heaters on. Have a listen. 

Aaaaand it's a wrap. Charles Croucher joins Wendall Hussey for a post match break down of what just happened,.. and what could happen next. Including a warning to the new Government not to take their eyes off the ball, aka Peter Dutton.

We're back for a final live show on Reddit, with a full wrap of the Federal Election 2022. In this week's show we look chat about the winners and losers, the cross bench and take questions... as we all try to decipher what our parliament will look like. Check it out.

The election is upon us. And for plenty of people, that means the ABC is getting a run on a Saturday night. The star of the show, and the man the nation will look to for a verdict on this whole thing is Antony Green. He joins us to give a run down on the magic behind the coverage, and how he makes the final call.

We're nearly there. With election day just around the corner, political expert Claire Kimball joins the show to break down the ins and outs of the campaign trail. With a lengthy resume including working as Tony Abbott's Press Secretary and founding the independent media organisation the Squiz, Claire's spent plenty of time inside and outside the political machine, so have a listen.

We are back at it for another live show, the final one before the Federal Election of 2022. In this week's show we wrap up where everything sits ahead of polling day, and field some interesting questions with a look to the future. Have a listen

In the last week before the Federal Election, the Betoota Advocate interviews Grace Tame. Speaking candidly, The former Australian Of The Year gives an insight into what has been happening since the last time we spoke in 2021 - both in her work, and in Australia. Grace Tame talks about working on policy, advocacy, and her epiphanies about both the political class and the media. This is not one to miss. This episode opens with a trigger warning, and if the content raises concerns please seek help from the following providers: https://www.1800respect.org.au/ 1800RESPECT https://www.lifeline.org.au/  13 11 14

This week, we've hopped back on Reddit for another live Decode show. From the height of TV that was the leader's debate to the state of gotcha journalism, there's plenty to talk about. Tune into to hear our wrap up of recent news as well as us answer some questions from the good people of the internet.

For our second last interview before the Federal Election, The Betoota Advocate interviews the Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Chris Bowen tells his story from growing up in Western Sydney, getting into politics, getting an education and eventually getting his hands on the levers. As the Member for McMahon, Bowen thinks this election will be very close, and we haven't even seen the worst from the ScoMo cheer squad at NewsCorp yet. Which Liberal MP will join us for the final interview next week?

This week it's time to talk about preferences. Not in regards to whether you think coriander tastes like soap, but where your voting preferences will go on polling day. We are joined by political expert Antony Green, who runs us through the ins and outs, and lets us know whether a vote for the Animal Justice Party can somehow result in One Nation getting another seat in the senate. Have a listen.

This week we hopped on Reddit for a live Decode show. There's a wrap up of all the goings on from the election campaign, the Russel Crowe x Anthony Albanese collab, a chat about the Teals, and a live Q & A section with the community on Reddit. Have a listen to our wrap up of what's been going, and our answers to the questions of a few punters.

While the Liberals panic over losing affluent inner-city seats to the Independents, the Labor Party faces the same age old challenge of The Greens taking their urban working class electorates. Celeste Liddle is a candidate gunning to do just that, in perhaps the most marginal Labor seat in the country. A unionist, feminist author and a member of the party's Indigenous caucus known as ‘The Black Greens’ - Liddle could easily become the newest MP for Cooper, a division that Labor only held onto by 1% in 2016.

It's been a frantic couple of weeks in the world of Federal Politics. The Culture Wars have been flared up, a potential real life war in the Pacific has made for plenty of jabs all round, and the Opposition Leader might have received a political blessing in disguise. Have a listen to our wrap up of what's been going on here.

This week’s guest, Rebekha Carina Che Sharkie represents the Division of Mayo, just south and east of Adelaide. A Ten Pound Pom who as a kid would sleep under tables in the rural pubs of South Australia while her dad played drums. She initially approached the Liberals for pre-selection a decade ago, but was told that a single mother would be a bad look for the party. So, she joined the Centre Alliance and got herself elected as an independent in 2016. After surviving the Parliamentary citizenship crisis a year later, she's been re-elected twice since - and it doesn't look like she's going anywhere.

Finally, an akubra that isn't sparkling clean - with one of the most inspiring life stories to grace the Decode Podcast. The Betoota Advocate interviews Bob Katter’s next prodigy. Rod Jensen, an Indigenous KAP candidate from Far North Queensland. He's had a distinguished career in the NRL, community work and education. Rocket Rod offers answers to regional issues that are rarely discussed in Canberra.

And so it begins. In the words of Bruce Buffer, It's. Tiiiimmeeeeeeeeee. 19 canons have been fired in Canberra (for some reason), signifying that we are going to have an election. The date is set for 21st of May. It will be a frantic few weeks ahead, so we jump into the campaign launch, the first days on the election trail and where the battle lines have been drawn. Give it a listen.

This week, Clancy and Errol talk to another Independent Candidate hoping to disrupt the status quo at the 2022 Federal Election. Hanabeth Luke is a scientist and Marine Rescue volunteer,  who teaches at Southern Cross University, while also raising a family in Evans Head. She making a run at the marginal electorate of Page, currently held by the National Party. After 6 weeks of flood rescues and recovery from Byron to Grafton, Hanabeth has a lot to say about the current government, and it seems the rest of her constituents are also fed up with the way things are. The editors ask Hanabeth what her plans are if it comes down to a hung parliament, and do these Independents answer to higher powers?

News From The Trough 05/04/22 This week we jump into whether Albo just copied Josh's homework in his Budget reply, the fallout from the 2007 pre-selection battle for the electorate of Cook, Bob Katter's bold call to arm our kids and another run of the mill taxpayer funded rort. Have a listen.