With Facebook’s withdrawal from Australian news-sharing agreements, this week on the Five Minute Advocate, Michael Walker takes this opportunity to remind us of the implicit dangers that come with a population riddled by smartphone dependency. While technology offers unprecedented access to information, it also contributes to social isolation, decreased attention spans, and distrust. Michael reminds us to unplug and focus our energies on developing real-life connections and community engagement. 

With Facebook’s withdrawal from Australian news-sharing agreements, this week on the Five Minute Advocate, Michael Walker takes this opportunity to remind us of the implicit dangers that come with a population riddled by smartphone dependency. While technology offers unprecedented access to information, it also contributes to social isolation, decreased attention spans, and distrust. Michael reminds us to unplug and focus our energies on developing real-life connections and community engagement.

Australian perspectives on the week's neglected social aspects of life, too often ignored by economics-driven priorities. These undermine our options for good societies, not just growth.

Eva Cox is a well-known sociologist and public feminist commentator with a long involvement in advocacy for more civil societies.

Julie Macken has a wealth of experience as a journalist for AFR and New Matilda and has worked with a variety of non-profit organisations.

Produced for community radio stations across Australia by the Community Radio Network.

Australian perspectives on the week's neglected social aspects of life, too often ignored by economics-driven priorities. These undermine our options for good societies, not just growth.
Eva Cox is a well-known sociologist and public feminist commentator with a long involvement in advocacy for more civil societies.
Julie Macken has a wealth of experience as a journalist for AFR and New Matilda and has worked with a variety of non-profit organisations.
Produced for community radio stations across Australia by the Community Radio Network.

Weekly Australian perspectives for a greater society

The Five Minute Advocate Podcast

Australian perspectives on the week's neglected social aspects of life, too often ignored by economics-driven priorities. These undermine our options for good societies, not just growth.

Eva Cox is a well-known sociologist and public feminist commentator with a long involvement in advocacy for more civil societies.

Julie Macken has a wealth of experience as a journalist for AFR and New Matilda and has worked with a variety of non-profit organisations.

Lola Forester is a Yuwibara Woman and Australian South Sea Islander, long term journalist and media personality, who hosts Black Chat on Koori Radio. 

Produced for community radio stations across Australia by the Community Radio Network.

Australian perspectives on the week's neglected social aspects of life, too often ignored by economics-driven priorities. These undermine our options for good societies, not just growth.
Eva Cox is a well-known sociologist and public feminist commentator with a long involvement in advocacy for more civil societies.
Julie Macken has a wealth of experience as a journalist for AFR and New Matilda and has worked with a variety of non-profit organisations.
Lola Forester is a Yuwibara Woman and Australian South Sea Islander, long term journalist and media personality, who hosts Black Chat on Koori Radio.&nbsp;
Produced for community radio stations across Australia by the Community Radio Network.

The Five Minute Advocate

Smartphone Dependency – With Michael Walker

In Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel’s influential work ‘Modernisation, Cultural Change, and Democracy’ it’s noted that increasing a society’s affluence leads to increasing tolerance - as societies become more affluent and self-confident, their citizens will become more open and tolerant. This week on the Five Minute Advocate, Michael Walker highlights this notion as the common thread that seemingly runs through many of the topics we’ve been exploring on the show. Whether it be gender relations, economic struggles, the treatment of refugees or attitudes towards social services and other social policy - tensions are undeniably high but Michael urges us to examine what role our current wealth distribution plays in this tension. 

In Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel’s influential work ‘Modernisation, Cultural Change, and Democracy’ it’s noted that increasing a society’s affluence leads to increasing tolerance - as societies become more affluent and self-confident, their citizens will become more open and tolerant. This week on the Five Minute Advocate, Michael Walker highlights this notion as the common thread that seemingly runs through many of the topics we’ve been exploring on the show. Whether it be gender relations, economic struggles, the treatment of refugees or attitudes towards social services and other social policy - tensions are undeniably high but Michael urges us to examine what role our current wealth distribution plays in this tension.

Grievance and Scarcity – With Michael Walker

This week on the Five Minute Advocate Eva Cox reflects on the impactful events of this past weekend when around the country thousands gathered to end men’s violence against women, calling upon the government to declare this epidemic a national emergency. As a long standing and prominent figure in the feminist movement, Eva reflects on the current state we find ourselves in - questioning why, after years of advocacy, women are still facing such extreme violence and discrimination. Eva calls for continued action, urging women to continue to band together and fight to achieve true and genuine equality.  

This week on the Five Minute Advocate Eva Cox reflects on the impactful events of this past weekend when around the country thousands gathered to end men’s violence against women, calling upon the government to declare this epidemic a national emergency. As a long standing and prominent figure in the feminist movement, Eva reflects on the current state we find ourselves in - questioning why, after years of advocacy, women are still facing such extreme violence and discrimination. Eva calls for continued action, urging women to continue to band together and fight to achieve true and genuine equality.

A National Emergency – With Eva Cox

This week on the Five Minute Advocate Julie Macken dives deeper into AUKUS agreement and criticises the government’s questionable prioritisation of defence spending over citizen and community welfare. Julie highlights the failings of the two-party system, calling out their failures to offer meaningful policy differences with both Labor and the Coalition seeming to be performing difference to hide sameness of their policies. Julie calls for a return to the ambitious and transformative policies that were the hallmark of the 1970s to truly enact real and positive change for all Australians.  

This week on the Five Minute Advocate Julie Macken dives deeper into AUKUS agreement and criticises the government’s questionable prioritisation of defence spending over citizen and community welfare. Julie highlights the failings of the two-party system, calling out their failures to offer meaningful policy differences with both Labor and the Coalition seeming to be performing difference to hide sameness of their policies. Julie calls for a return to the ambitious and transformative policies that were the hallmark of the 1970s to truly enact real and positive change for all Australians.

Smartphone Dependency – With Michael Walker

The Five Minute Advocate Podcast

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