The Australian Senate is a unique and powerful legislative body that provides accountability, representation and diversity to a greater extent than the House of Representatives. To discuss the role of the Senate in our democracy, we spoke with Senate President Scott Ryan, who was in conversation with Ben Oquist, our Executive Director.This was recorded live on Tuesday 9 March 2021 and things may have changed since recording.The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Ben Oquist, Executive Director, The Australia Institute // @BenOquistSenator Scott Ryan, President of the Senate // @SenatorRyanProducer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermaceyTheme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

<div>The Australian Senate is a unique and powerful legislative body that provides accountability, representation and diversity to a greater extent than the House of Representatives. To discuss the role of the Senate in our democracy, we spoke with Senate President Scott Ryan, who was in conversation with Ben Oquist, our Executive Director.</div><div>This was recorded live on Tuesday 9 March 2021 and things may have changed since recording.</div><div><a href="http://australiainstitute.org.au/" target="_blank">The Australia Institute</a> // <a href="http://twitter.com/theausinstitute" target="_blank">@theausinstitute</a></div><div>Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // <a href="http://twitter.com/ebony_bennett" target="_blank">@ebony_bennett</a></div><div>Guests:</div><div>Ben Oquist, Executive Director, The Australia Institute // <a href="https://twitter.com/benoquist" target="_blank">@BenOquist</a></div><div>Senator Scott Ryan, President of the Senate // <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorRyan" target="_blank">@SenatorRyan</a></div><div>Producer: Jennifer Macey // <a href="https://twitter.com/jennifermacey" target="_blank">@jennifermacey</a></div><div>Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions</div>

Economics and politics explained in plain English

Economics and politics explained in plain English

Follow The Money

Politics and the economy explained in plain English

Politics and the economy explained in plain English

The Australian Senate is a unique and powerful legislative body that provides accountability, representation and diversity to a greater...

The Role of the Senate in our Democracy [webinar series]

As the government shelves important reform to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, the Knitting Nannas are getting out into their communities and demanding an end to fossil fuel projects.

They may not fit the stereotype of activists, but the Knitting Nannas are a force to be reckoned with. In their own words, they “sit, knit, plot, have a yarn and a cuppa, and bear witness to the war against the greedy, short-sighted corporations”. On this episode of Follow the Money, Kathy McKenzie and Marie Flood from the Sydney Knitting Nannas, along with the Australia Institute’s Mark Ogge, join us discuss the future of activism and why it’s time to stop new fossil fuel projects.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 19 March 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

Find out more about the Knitting Nannas at knitting-nannas.com. Hear all the sessions from our Climate Integrity Summit 2024 on our website.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Kathy McKenzie, Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends

Guest: Marie Flood, Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends

Guest: Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor, the Australia Institute // @MarkOgge

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

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

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.

As the government shelves important reform to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, the Knitting Nannas are getting out into their communities and demanding an end to fossil fuel projects.
They may not fit the stereotype of activists, but the Knitting Nannas are a force to be reckoned with. In their own words, they “sit, knit, plot, have a yarn and a cuppa, and bear witness to the war against the greedy, short-sighted corporations”. On this episode of Follow the Money, Kathy McKenzie and Marie Flood from the Sydney Knitting Nannas, along with the Australia Institute’s Mark Ogge, join us discuss the future of activism and why it’s time to stop new fossil fuel projects.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 19 March 2024 and things may have changed since recording.
Find out more about the Knitting Nannas at <a href="https://knitting-nannas.com/">knitting-nannas.com</a>. Hear all the sessions from our Climate Integrity Summit 2024 on our <a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/event/climate-integrity-summit-2024/">website</a>.
<a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/">australiainstitute.org.au</a> // <a href="http://twitter.com/theausinstitute">@theausinstitute</a>
Guest: Kathy McKenzie, Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends
Guest: Marie Flood, Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends
Guest: Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkOgge">@MarkOgge</a>
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://twitter.com/ebony_bennett">@ebony_bennett</a>
Producer: Jennifer Macey // <a href="https://twitter.com/jennifermacey">@jennifermacey</a>
Additional editing: Emily Perkins
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 <a href="mailto:podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au">podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au</a>.

As the government shelves important reform to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, the Knitting Nannas are getting out into their communities and demanding an end to fossil fuel projects.

The Knitting Nannas redefining the face of activism

Freedom of Information laws have helped the public uncover information governments would prefer to keep secret, but the system is failing.

Strong Freedom of Information laws are critical to Australia’s democracy, but delays and government resistance are undermining people’s faith in the system.On this episode of Follow the Money, former independent Senator for South Australia Rex Patrick and Australia Institute Senior Economist Matthew Grudnoff join Ebony Bennett to discuss why transparency matters and what can be done to improve the dire state of the system.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 16 April 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Rex Patrick, former Senator for South Australia // @MrRexPatrick

Guest: Matthew Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoff

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

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

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.

Freedom of Information laws have helped the public uncover information governments would prefer to keep secret, but the system is failing.
Strong Freedom of Information laws are critical to Australia’s democracy, but delays and government resistance are undermining people’s faith in the system. On this episode of Follow the Money, former independent Senator for South Australia Rex Patrick and Australia Institute Senior Economist Matthew Grudnoff join Ebony Bennett to discuss why transparency matters and what can be done to improve the dire state of the system.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 16 April 2024 and things may have changed since recording.
<a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/">australiainstitute.org.au</a> // <a href="http://twitter.com/theausinstitute">@theausinstitute</a>
Guest: Rex Patrick, former Senator for South Australia // <a href="https://twitter.com/MrRexPatrick">@MrRexPatrick</a>
Guest: Matthew Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://twitter.com/MattGrudnoff">@MattGrudnoff</a>
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://twitter.com/ebony_bennett">@ebony_bennett</a>
Producer: Jennifer Macey // <a href="https://twitter.com/jennifermacey">@jennifermacey</a>
Additional editing: Emily Perkins
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 <a href="mailto:podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au">podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au</a>.

Freedom of Information laws have helped the public uncover information governments would prefer to keep secret, but the system is failing.

Making freedom of information “sexy” with Rex Patrick

Rather than delivering on their election promise to create a Great Koala National Park, the New South Wales Government is sitting on its hands until it can earn carbon credits from forests.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Walkley Award winning journalist and Australia Institute Senior Fellow Stephen Long joins Ebony Bennett to discuss his new report into the disastrous consequences of the ongoing logging in the state for koalas and the climate.

If you want the New South Wales Government to end native forest logging, you can sign our open letter.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow and Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute // @StephenLongAus

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

Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey

Additional editing: Emily Perkins

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.

Rather than delivering on their election promise to create a Great Koala National Park, the New South Wales Government is sitting on its hands until it can earn carbon credits from forests.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Walkley Award winning journalist and Australia Institute Senior Fellow Stephen Long joins Ebony Bennett to discuss his <a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/video-report-the-carbon-credit-grift-destroying-koala-habitat">new report</a> into the disastrous consequences of the ongoing logging in the state for koalas and the climate.
If you want the New South Wales Government to end native forest logging, you can sign our <a href="https://theaus.in/protectforestsNSW">open letter</a>.
<a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/">australiainstitute.org.au</a> // <a href="http://twitter.com/theausinstitute">@theausinstitute</a>
Guest: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow and Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenLongAus">@StephenLongAus</a>
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://twitter.com/ebony_bennett">@ebony_bennett</a>
Producer: Jennifer Macey // <a href="https://twitter.com/jennifermacey">@jennifermacey</a>
Additional editing: Emily Perkins
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 <a href="mailto:podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au">podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au</a>.

Rather than delivering on their election promise to create a Great Koala National Park, the New South Wales Government is sitting on its hands until it can earn carbon credits from forests.

The Role of the Senate in our Democracy [webinar series]

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