The Fifth Estate

“And what we’re really talking about is vesting the sovereignty of Australia in the people. But actually, the most extraordinary and beautiful thing is we are going to vest in 65,230 years of history. That’s an amazing step to take and again, I think it’s only going to change us in positive ways” – Craig Foster. With the coronation of King Charles III in 2023, Australia’s relationship with the Crown will be a defining topic in the year. To kick off the Fifth Estate for 2023, Sally Warhaft sat down with Craig Foster, who has had a respected career as a Socceroos player and coach, sports broadcaster, and human rights activist, and was recently appointed as the new chair of the Australian Republic Movement. Together, they discuss the future of the Australian Republic Movement and Australia’s place in the Commonwealth. This event was recorded at the Wheeler Centre on Tuesday 28 March 2023. Featured music is Living in a Fantasy by Pulsed.

Sally Warhaft, Peter Cronau and Scott Ludlam in conversation on stage at Bendigo Writers Festival. Why is WikiLeaks so important? What is there to be learned from the documents released? According to the writers in A Secret Australia, the leaking of hidden government documents yielded knowledge that is essential for journalists and institutions to analyse the consequences of covert and unaccountable state power. “We open governments” is WikiLeaks’ motto, yet its crusade for transparent, accountable government has led to criminal charges being laid against its founder, Julian Assange, and whistleblower Chelsea Manning. Assange now faces espionage and hacking-related charges from the US government. A Secret Australia’s co-editor Peter Cronau and contributor and former Greens Senator Scott Ludlam joined Sally Warhaft at Bendigo Writers Festival earlier this year for a discussion about what is kept from public view and why. What are the limits of journalism when reporting on state apparatuses, and what is a publisher’s responsibility when dealing with state secrets? #TWCFifthEstate Presented in partnership with Bendigo Writers Festival See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and George Megalogenis Remember March 2020? When Australian borders closed, when we saw the first round of social restrictions? When the disturbing and surreal realities of COVID-19 finally hit home across Australia? March! We were so young. Back then, Sally Warhaft caught up with George Megalogenis for a Fifth Estate conversation about political leadership during the pandemic, and about its historic and economic precedents. So much has happened since. Six months on, the pair catch up again to take stock of the shifting situation and look to the future. How will the decisions made by Scott Morrison, his government, and the national cabinet affect us for decades to come? What are the long-term economic implications of closed borders? What will happen to global markets and local jobs? What will we rebuild in the post-recession economy and what can we create anew? The Fifth Estate will take a break for the remainder of 2020, but the series will return fortnightly in 2021 with Sally Warhaft bringing you more live news, current affairs, politics and analysis. In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for an exciting announcement about a new project from Warhaft and the Wheeler Centre, starting later this month. #TWCFifthEstate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What might the economic and social upheavals of 2020 mean for climate policy in Australia? For this Fifth Estate conversation, host Sally Warhaft brings together Judith Brett and Marian Wilkinson – two writers who have undertaken in-depth research into the resource economy and Australian climate scepticism. Brett's recent Quarterly Essay, 'The Coal Curse', traces the history of Australia's resource dependence and its impact on our political culture. Wilkinson's book, The Carbon Club, explores the loose but powerful alliance of Australian media, mining and political figures whose scepticism has hindered meaningful climate policy development for decades. There are signs, though, that the stalemate might be starting to shift. Amid widespread criticism during the bushfires earlier this year, Scott Morrison began to soften his climate rhetoric, speaking of ‘adaptation’ and ‘resilience’. James Murdoch spoke out against News Corp’s climate scepticism in January and, more recently, dramatically resigned from the board. Will the seismic impacts of Covid-19 set us back into our entrenched economic habits, or could 2020 mark a turning point? #TWCFifthEstate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Kevin Rudd, live via video-link What are the origins of COVID-19? How could the pandemic’s spread have been better contained? These are fraught and complex questions – and finding the right forum to ask them is a diplomatic minefield. How will Australia's call for a World Health Assembly investigation affect our relationship with China and other major global players? And how is the world's diplomatic and economic order being reshaped in the midst of the crisis – and of governments' widely varying responses? Kevin Rudd joins Sally Warhaft for a live-streamed Fifth Estate discussion of these questions and more. As president of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York, a former Australian diplomat in China, and, of course, our former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Rudd shares his reflections on diplomacy and governance, his insights into how the pandemic is likely to alter international relations, and his thoughts on how Australia can continue to manage the far-reaching economic and political impacts of COVID-19. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft speaks with Tom Porteous, who joined us live from Paris Tom Porteous is a former journalist for the Guardian and the BBC, and an expert on global conflict management and resolution. Now deputy program director at Human Rights Watch, he joined Sally Warhaft live from Paris to discuss human rights and COVID-19. The pair talk through the existing tensions and inequities the pandemic has brought into sharp relief. They discuss, too, the immediate human rights challenges – from healthcare access and healthcare workers’ labor rights to family violence, education access and prisoners’ rights, to increasing incidents of racism. Porteous also discusses post-pandemic life and the reasons for caution and optimism. What challenges can we anticipate, and mitigate, in terms of vaccine access? And could the post-COVID moment prompt a rethinking of social contracts, and an era of major public policy innovation? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft, left, and Joshua Wong Joshua Wong was still a teenager when he rose to international prominence as a leader in Hong Kong’s 2014 Umbrella Movement, protesting increased Chinese Communist Party intervention in the city’s electoral system. ‘That’s the transformation of Hong Kongers … Before last summer, nobody could imagine more than 2 million people taking to the streets. […] But we did it. Almost one-fourth of the population [stood] up against the regime of Beijing.’ A lot has happened since. Wong has served two prison terms and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. He's co-founded a new political party, Demosistō, and written a book, Unfree Speech. All the while, the protest movement in Hong Kong has simmered on, boiling over last year into extraordinary mass protests and brutal police confrontations. With Sally Warhaft, Wong talks about the evolution of Hong Kong’s democracy movement and the impact of COVID-19. Assembly restrictions enforced due to the pandemic have hampered demonstrations and possibly cleared the path for more authoritarian rule in the city. In mid-April, more than a dozen high-profile pro-democracy activists were arrested. How does Wong expect these arrests to impact Hong Kong's legislative elections in September? What effect might a weakened United States and an emboldened China have on the One Country, Two Systems principle that grants Hong Kong special autonomy? Wong reflects on these questions and more. #TWCFifthEstate See also The Fifth Estate: Joshua Wong: Unfree Speech / Activism With Joshua Wong and Sally Warhaft The Fifth Estate: The World’s Largest Party: China / Australian politicsWhat’s That Sound? Activism Today / Activism With Tess Lawley, Gary Foley, Amelia Telford and 2 others See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft interviews Malcolm Turnbull – in his home – from the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne In 2015, when Malcolm Turnbull returned to the Liberal Party leadership and assumed the Australian Prime Ministership, he brought with him a passion for free enterprise, a touch of style and a vision for an ‘agile Australia’. But Turnbull's view of the Liberal Party – a progressive party of the ‘sensible centre’, with individual freedom and aspiration at its core – put him at odds with the Liberals’ conservative wing. He clashed with them throughout most of his political career. Sally Warhaft, left, and Malcolm Turnbull His rocky ride in the Australian Parliament was defined by moments such as the carbon emissions debate and the historic same-sex marriage survey. These form just part of his new memoir, A Bigger Picture, which also recounts Turnbull’s rise to prominence as a successful lawyer, businessman and leader of Australia's Republican movement. With Sally Warhaft, Turnbull discusses his life and the trajectory of his extraordinary career. The pair talk, too, about the current state of Australian politics, his notable encounters during his time in public office, and the pressures that permeate a Prime Ministership. It’s an uncertain moment for the arts, for writers and for everybody. If you’re in a position to support our efforts to bring you books, writing and ideas from a safe distance, you can make a contribution here. Thank you for your generosity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft, left, and George Megalogenis There is little doubt now that the COVID-19 coronavirus will drastically alter our lives, communities and societies for some time to come. Amid confusing, contradictory or misleading information about how we should respond – and how we should protect ourselves and each other – the pandemic has already tested our social fabric. How the crisis will affect our healthcare, economic and political systems is yet to be understood, but we appear to be approaching a major reckoning. ‘The funny thing about this is it’s Spanish Flu, the Great Depression and the Second World War all wrapped into one.’ So, how can we make sense of it all? What kinds of measured, long-term perspectives can we bring to the constant, rapidly-shifting flow of news updates and band-aid measures? In a special live-streamed edition of The Fifth Estate, journalist George Megalogenis joins host Sally Warhaft for a careful analysis of our precarious present and the future that may follow. Drawing on lessons from the past – including the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, post-World War II unemployment and more – they consider what the compounding challenges of the coronavirus will mean for our national character, for different workers and citizens, and for our political era. How will we be changed? #TWCFifthEstate It’s an uncertain moment for the arts, for writers and for everybody. If you’re in a position to support our efforts to bring you books, writing and ideas from a safe distance, you can make a contribution here. Thank you for your generosity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Brown The bushfires that raged across the country this summer have caused environmental and economic damage that will be felt for years to come. In Canberra, they have ignited a frenzy of finger-pointing in every direction. In this Fifth Estate discussion, Sally Warhaft talks with environmentalist and former Greens leader Bob Brown about the ecological, political and economic implications of this urgent and ongoing national issue. Having served for 16 years in the Australian Senate, does Brown believe a lasting shift in public mood and policy is now possible? What are the short-term and long-term priorities in the federal bushfire response? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the final Fifth Estate of 2019, George Megalogenis returns to reflect with host Sally Warhaft on the year in Australian politics. Sally Warhaft and George Megalogenis They discuss the early manoeuvres of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese, and the 46th federal parliament. They talk, too, about the stories that made domestic headlines – as well as how major international news events were felt here in Australia. What do these stories and controversies reveal about our country and our culture? It’s been a wild ride of a decade in Australian politics, with seven prime ministers in 10 years. What does the next year – and the next decade – hold in store? This is our final episode of The Fifth Estate for 2019; we'll be back early in 2020 with a new slate of conversations. Stay tuned! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does a person navigate the change from activist outsider to influential insider? How do you balance idealism and pragmatism under pressure? Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Samantha Power has had to navigate these questions first-hand. From a troubled childhood in Dublin to a career as a war correspondent then academic, she landed at the heart of American politics in 2005 – when her critiques of US foreign policy drew the attention of Barack Obama. She joined his team, eventually becoming a senior human rights adviser. After an early misstep (she branded Hillary Clinton ‘a monster’, and lost her job over the incident), Power served in the White House’s National Security Council as Special Assistant to the President for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights. In 2013, she was appointed to the coveted position of US Ambassador to the United Nations. As she reveals in her newest book, The Education of an Idealist, the intensity of her work was matched by personal struggle – trying to start a family, then raising young children; dealing with anxiety attacks and her own painful childhood. Power has been celebrated for her skill and influence, and has proudly worn the title of activist. She has also drawn sharp criticism from some quarters, particularly in her advocacy for ‘humanitarian intervention’, and her arguments for US action or inaction in Libya, Syria and Yemen. In conversation with Sally Warhaft, Samantha Power discusses the complexity of decision-making, the tensions between activism and power, and the reconciliation of past and future. Sally Warhaft and Samantha Power See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this Fifth Estate discussion, we're joined by two prominent historians for a conversation about their careers, and how they have each navigated the changing tropes and traditions of Australian history writing. What role do contemporary historians play in shaping the way all Australians remember – and reckon with – the past? From left to right: Sally Warhaft, Clare Wright and Geoffrey Blainey Geoffrey Blainey is the author of more than 40 books, including The Rush That Never Ended, The Story of Australia’s People, and, perhaps most famously, The Tyranny of Distance, which has been in print since 1966. Clare Wright is an eminent academic and broadcaster and the Stella Prize-winning author of The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka and You Daughters of Freedom. Both writers have brought their research to large and enthralled readerships. How does writing about the past shape the possibilities of the future? Blainey and Wright join Sally Warhaft to discuss their approaches to writing Australian history: warts, beauty spots and blind spots. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American-born journalist Megan K. Stack is an acclaimed author and war correspondent. She was Moscow bureau chief for the L.A. Times when she made the decision to work from home and look after her newborn child. As her growing family followed her husband’s work through China and India, Stack’s new life forced her to understand the economy of women’s work, and the inequalities that make it possible to exploit ‘poor women, brown women, migrant women’. Megan Stack (left) and Sally Warhaft (right) Stack’s memoir, Women’s Work: A Reckoning with Work and Home, undertakes a forthright and relentless examination of domestic labour, and the complexities of working parenthood – for herself and for the babysitters, cooks and cleaners which made her continuing career possible. She asks: ‘Why was it that, whatever you desired, you could find a poor woman to sell it?’ In conversation with Sally Warhaft at Bendigo Writers Festival, Megan K. Stack discusses the ethics, unexpected emotional shifts and negotiations of the household as a workplace. Presented in partnership with Bendigo Writers Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mia Love Mia Love was once a rising star of the Republican Party. She was the first black female Republican elected to congress, running and winning in Utah's 97% white 4th District in 2015. During her time in office, Love was appointed to the House Financial Services Committee, which oversees the Treasury and the Federal Reserve. But Love chose not to embrace President Donald Trump during her mid-term election campaign last year, and drew his ire. Since losing her re-election bid (by just one percentage point) Love has become an outspoken critic of the President. 'My district was home to many strong supporters of President Trump,' Love has written. '... They love his economic record, his peace-through-strength foreign policy, his "America First" stance on trade, and his choices for judicial appointments. They don't love racism.' Love has been critical of Republicans' 'transactional' approach to working with black Americans and minorities. But are Democrats doing any better? And how does Love think the 2020 presidential elections will play out? 'I’m not going away,' Mia Love said in her scathing concession speech. 'But now, I am unleashed, I am untethered and I am unshackled.' She shares her unique and candid perspective with host Sally Warhaft. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Tim Costello For decades, Tim Costello has been among Australia’s most outspoken voices on issues of social justice and global inequality. Through his work as a minister, as a lawyer and as the mayor of St Kilda council, he’s tackled pressing social issues – from gambling and homelessness to gun control. He’s perhaps best known to most Australians, though, for his 15-year tenure as CEO of World Vision – a job which took him to conflict and disaster zones across the world, including to Darfur and to several countries affected by the Boxing Day Tsunami. In his new memoir, A Lot with a Little, Costello reflects on his life and varied career. He reflects, too, on how his experiences have shaped his views on questions of equality, liberty, faith and community. With Sally Warhaft, he discusses the book, his ongoing work and the confronting and complex work of tackling global inequality. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Jess Hill The recent book by Jess Hill, See What You Made Me Do, calls for a drastic and urgent rethink in the way we conceive of family violence in Australia. Rigorously researched, and packed with interviews and case studies, it's a once-in-a-generation book that asks us to look beyond received wisdom to confront the complexities of family violence squarely. Hill asks: What are we really doing about family violence? Why, in so many cases, are our justice and enforcement systems making things worse for women and children? Why have we settled for modest gains and vague long-term targets? What causes perpetrators to be violent and what can we do to stop it right now? With host Sally Warhaft, the Walkley-winning investigative journalist discusses her four-year undertaking of research and writing for See What You Made Me Do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Michael Fullilove What is Australia’s place in the world? How are we getting along with our neighbours? And how is our international outlook changing? For this conversation, Sally Warhaft is joined by executive director of the Lowy Institute, Michael Fullilove. The pair discuss the foreign policy challenges Australia is facing now and into the future. Can we find ways to work better with our neighbours, especially Indonesia? How can we best navigate the increasing tension between China and the United States? How will the volatility of the Trump presidency and Brexit affect Australia in the years ahead? And what will Marise Payne bring to the role of Foreign Minister in a world of disruption and uncertainty? Join us for a wide-ranging spotlight on foreign affairs, encompassing trade, alliances, cybersecurity and powerful and populous neighbours. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Niki Savva When Julia Gillard overthrew Kevin Rudd in 2010 it was as if the Canberra sky fell in. In the years since, we’ve seen Rudd the Second punished by the electorate and Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull each dispatched by their own party. This year, something changed. Scott Morrison and the Coalition government were re-elected as if the leadership coup against Turnbull never occurred. Niki Savva is a veteran of Australian journalism and Liberal Party circles – and she was among the many people who were shocked by the May 18 result. At the time of the election, Savva was working on a book called Highway to Hell, documenting the infighting that led to Turnbull's downfall and an expected defeat for the coalition in the polls. The election result occasioned an extra chapter and a new title for the project. The finished book, called Plots and Prayers: Malcolm Turnbull’s Demise and Scott Morrison’s Ascension tells the inside story of conflict and vengeance within the Liberal Party and the extraordinary rise of our new Prime Minister. With Sally Warhaft, Savva discusses Canberra savagery and political miracles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft, Ranjana Srivastava and Gustav Nossal There's much to celebrate in the history of Australian medicine and medical care – from the famous breakthrough in penicillin to the development of the Gardasil vaccine. Our Medicare model is the envy of many countries. But have we become complacent? What are the pre-existing and emerging gaps in our system? And how might we adapt our healthcare and research models in line with changes in demography and technology? In this Fifth Estate discussion, Gustav Nossal and Ranjana Srivastava join Sally Warhaft for a long, hard look at Australian healthcare today. Where do we need to direct our investment? Join us for a conversation about who’s getting adequate care, who’s missing out and what we can learn from care and research models overseas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Paul Kelly A month on from the federal election, once the dust has settled, we take an in-depth look at the events of 18 May and discuss what we might expect from the new Morrison government. With a mandate, and likely a revamped front bench, can Scott Morrison unite a fractured country and leave a lasting legacy? What are the policy goals of the Liberals in their third term in government and how will they handle the cynicism that has infected much of the electorate? What kinds of new alliances might we see forming in the Left of politics over the next few years? Host Sally Warhaft and veteran journalist Paul Kelly also discuss how the inaccuracy of the 2019 pre-election forecasts might affect our political culture. With predictions proving surprisingly inaccurate, is there reason to hope our elected representatives may now break free from the tyranny of fortnightly news polls? What might that mean for Labor? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Frédéric Martel The Catholic Church, writes Frédéric Martel, is ‘a system built ... on the homosexual double life and on the most dizzying homophobia … Without this key for understanding, the recent history of the Vatican and the Roman Church remains opaque.' How is Martel qualified to make such statements? He is an acclaimed academic and journalist in France, and the author of several widely translated books on contemporary culture and political science, including The Pink and the Black, On Culture in America and Global Gay. His latest book, In the Closet of the Vatican: Power, Homosexuality, Hypocrisy, is the result of four years worth of investigative journalism, including hundreds of interviews across many corners of the globe, in efforts to understand the scope and culture of homosexuality within the Catholic Church. Many of his sources – including priests, cardinals, Vatican administrative staff and sex workers – have spoken to Martel about widespread clerical homosexuality under terms of anonymity. Their combined testimony paints a portrait of a bizarre culture of conspiracy and cover-up, with ramifications that extend way beyond the sexual identities of individual priests and into church policies on contraception, IVF and the handling of cases of sexual abuse. The Vatican, as Martel describes it, is a place of surreal duplicity. But an investigation with mostly anonymous sources raises its own questions about double standards. Join Martel for a discussion of his remarkable book with Sally Warhaft. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Jill Abramson on stage at the Athenaeum Theatre — Photo: Scott Limbrick How should the media survive the current age? It’s a question that haunts the bones of many in the industry, and a through-line of Merchants of Truth, a bracing new account of American journalism’s moral crisis written by Jill Abramson. A former executive editor of the New York Times, and a widely-respected media veteran, Abramson looks at fake news, click-bait and the commercial objectives of Facebook and Google. Her unflinching – sometimes bleak – investigations take readers to the front-line of the essential and existential decisions being made at the heart of four key outlets: Buzzfeed, VICE, the Times and the Washington Post. Against Facebook virality and Google’s algorithm, can hallowed principles of objectivity and impartiality survive? The first woman to hold many of the senior roles she’s occupied, Abramson shares what she’s learned through her celebrated career. She also addresses the criticism and controversy surrounding the book: she has been accused of being dismissive towards young, digitally savvy journalists and their readerships’ interests, and of factual errors and plagiarism – charges which she refutes. With host Sally Warhaft, join us for a fascinating and frank discussion with one of modern journalism’s most experienced figures, and an exploration into the future of media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft, Kim Rubenstein and Judith Brett In a democracy, should voting be a citizen’s right or a citizen’s duty? Australia is one of a small number of countries – including Argentina and Egypt – with mandatory voting. Australia is rare, within this small group of nations, in imposing penalties on citizens who fail to turn up to vote. Compulsory voting has been in place here since 1924 and it sets us apart from other advanced democracies. Less than 60% of the US voting-age population cast ballots in the 2016 presidential election. For this conversation, we bring together citizenship law expert Kim Rubenstein and the eminent historian Judith Brett, author of From Secret Ballot to Democracy Sausage: How Australia Got Compulsory Voting. They trace the history of our voting system and examine how it’s shaped the tenor of our debates and our sense of ourselves and our representatives – plus, how the system may yet change. With Sally Warhaft, they discuss donkey votes, ballot boxes, barbeques and the wide-ranging implications of compulsory participation. Related listening: Housekeeping Podcast episode The Wheeler Centre Housekeeping #1: Sizzle / Australia 3 Jun 2016Podcast episode The Wheeler Centre Housekeeping #2: ID / Government 10 Jun 2016Podcast episode The Wheeler Centre Housekeeping #3: No-Shows / Australian politics 17 Jun 2016Podcast episode The Wheeler Centre Housekeeping #4: Scrutiny / Government 27 Jun 2016Podcast episode The Wheeler Centre Housekeeping #5: Locked Out / Crime 30 Jun 2016 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When, and how, does hate flourish in a society? How is hate spreading in our society? When do speech acts qualify as acts of hate? Who is encouraging the spread of hate, and what do they have to gain? In this conversation, we’ll discuss the disturbing rise of nationalist populism in Australia today, expressed through such events as the United Patriots rally at St Kilda beach, the ‘African gang’ scare campaigns and the white supremacist terrorist attack at Christchurch. Tim Soutphommasane is the former race discrimination commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission and he is the author of an essay published by Melbourne University Press, ‘On Hate’, which examines the threat that racist extremism poses to Australian democracy. Santilla Chingaipe is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker who has reported extensively on African-Australian communities. With Sally Warhaft, the pair discuss populism, prejudice and radicalism in the context of recent events and the looming federal election. Photo: Jon Tjhia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After yet another year of chaos in the Australian Parliament, a federal election looms. For an in-depth discussion of the context – and possible outcome – of the vote, Sally Warhaft will be joined by two veterans of Australian political circles: journalist Michelle Grattan and former Liberal leader John Hewson. Warhaft, Hewson and Grattan — Photo: Johnboy Davidson / José Eveline What are the major parties offering, in terms of health, education, housing and climate policy? Which policies can really swing voters? How will the minor and single-issue parties fare in the Senate? Will Tony Abbott hold on to Warringah? Can Bill Shorten be our new Prime Minister? And is anything as exotic as leadership stability possible in the 46th Parliament? In this episode, Sally Warhaft talks politics and policy beyond the polls with Grattan and Hewson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Kassem Eid on stage at the Wheeler Centre In 2013, Kassem Eid narrowly escaped death when Bashar al-Assad’s government unleashed a now-infamous sarin gas attack on Ghouta, Syria. It wasn’t just sarin: the area was also bombarded by mortar fire. At least 1500 people died. Eid didn’t, but the devastating assault irreversibly injured his community and upended his life. Since its beginnings during the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011, the war has claimed tens (some say hundreds) of thousands of lives. It has made refugees of more than ten million people, including Eid – an activist and journalist, himself born to Palestinian refugee parents. In this episode, the author of My Country: A Syrian Memoir speaks with Sally Warhaft about his life, the history of the conflict and how he understands the prospect of it ending. They discuss the Syria he grew up in, the Syria he fought for, and the Syria the world abandoned. Kassem Eid's visit was supported by Goethe Institut Australia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the final Fifth Estate of 2018 – and in the wake of the Victorian election and its recriminations – we look back at the year in Australian politics with series host Sally Warhaft and seasoned political observers George Megalogenis and Gabrielle Chan. Our panellists unpack and reflect on the issues that have monopolised domestic headlines – from yet another leadership spill to the banking royal commission and the senate’s controversial ‘It’s OK to be white’ vote. They examine the major events that have attracted international attention, too: the suggested relocation of the Australian embassy in Israel, live animal export bans and damning reports of Resignation Syndrome in children on Nauru. Of course, the year isn’t over just yet. Mark Latham has joined One Nation, the ScoMo Express has been out campaigning, and the NSW Labor party is grappling with a sexual harassment scandal ahead of the 2019 election. Join us as we examine the wild ride that was – is – 2018 in Australia … and ponder what may lie ahead in an election year. Select an image to view in detail See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Kerry O'Brien — Photo: Jon Tjhia Kerry O'Brien at the Wheeler Centre — Photo: Jon Tjhia ‘We absolutely cannot make any assumptions about the future of democracy in this country.’ Kerry O'Brien, in conversation with Sally Warhaft He’s interviewed Nelson Mandela, David Bowie, Margaret Thatcher, Herbie Hancock and Mikhail Gorbachev. As a journalist, he’s watched 13 Australian prime ministers come and go and he’s personally interrogated most of them, live on The 7.30 Report. Kerry O’Brien is a singular figure in Australian journalism – a broadcast journalist, foreign correspondent, columnist and feature writer – who has interviewed some of the most influential Australian and global figures, across politics, art and sport over a career of 50 years. In Kerry O’Brien: A Memoir he shares behind-the-scenes tales of talks with the likes of Tony Blair and the Dalai Lama as well as his insights on the social, political and media upheavals he’s witnessed up close. Appearing in conversation with Sally Warhaft, O’Brien talks about what he’s learned from grilling the great, the good and the not-so-good over five decades. Subscribe to our podcasts Podcast seriesThe Fifth Estate / History, politics & current affairsPodcast seriesThe Wheeler CentrePodcast seriesThe Messenger / MigrationPodcast seriesBetter Off Dead / Life & deathPodcast seriesBooks and Ideas at Montalto / Australian stories See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft, Bob Carr and Dennis Altman The 2018 midterm elections in the United States will be held on Tuesday 6 November. In the heated, highly partisan atmosphere in Washington – and indeed across the whole of the United States – the stakes feel higher than ever. Two years into Donald Trump’s presidency, the midterms are a test of his often controversial administration. In the lead-up to the big day, Sally Warhaft dissects the polls, candidates and analysis with former Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr and La Trobe University academic Dennis Altman. Carr is a former New South Wales Premier, and is currently a professor of international relations at the University of Technology Sydney, researching foreign policy, economics, international relations, national defence and security and Chinese politics. Altman is a leading writer and academic whose work focuses on sexuality, HIV/AIDS, Australian politics and US politics – in domestic and international contexts. The House and Senate are both ruled by the Republicans, but this could all change after the midterms, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives in contention and a third of the Senate up for grabs. A Democratic swing could even spark an impeachment motion. In conversation with Sally Warhaft, Carr and Altman discuss the possible outcomes and their consequences for the Australia and the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Stephen Smith — Photo: Scott Limbrick As we hurtle towards the end of 2018, it’s clear we’ve entered a period of increased volatility and uncertainty in global relations. The world's two major powers are locked in a trade war, the European Union is looking decidedly shaky and much of the Middle East is still mired in conflict, partly due to the interventions of powers outside the region. How can Australia negotiate this shifting and unpredictable landscape? And what's our place in it? In this Fifth Estate conversation, Sally Warhaft discusses these questions with former Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith. During his political career, Smith has held a range of other portfolios that make him uniquely placed to comment on Australia’s strategic priorities and predicaments, including stints as Minister for Trade and Shadow Minister for Immigration. Today, he’s a professor of international law at University of Western Australia. Together, they explore Australia’s place in a changing region and a changing world. What are the new security challenges? And how can we nurture friendships within the region, while staying on good terms with our increasingly erratic old allies? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Greg Sheridan In 1966, 88% of Australians identified as Christian in the census. By the 2016 census, the proportion had dipped to 52%. The number of Christians who attend church regularly is even lower. How has Christianity gone from being at the centre of Australian cultural and social life to something that's important to a dwindling number of Australians? In this Fifth Estate conversation, host Sally Warhaft is joined by journalist and author Greg Sheridan, whose new book, God Is Good for You, makes a case for the achievements of Christianity. He argues that the Judeo-Christian tradition can offer a framework for tackling our increasingly complex and connected world. Through their discussion, Warhaft and Sheridan talk morality, hope, disillusion and the changing shape of faith today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How is journalism changing when it comes to reporting on crimes against women? Why do some crimes, and some victims, get more press than others? And how does media coverage affect police investigations and the pursuit of justice in specific criminal cases? For this Fifth Estate conversation, Sally Warhaft is joined by former Victoria Police chief commissioner Christine Nixon and veteran crime journalist Andrew Rule to discuss prejudice and perception in media and police work. How does public scrutiny help and hinder the police? How are media standards, and public standards, changing? What works, and what doesn’t, in solving and preventing, these kinds of crimes? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Katharine Murphy at The Fifth Estate ‘Conflict is not a new commodity in news,’ Katharine Murphy has written. ‘ … But media disruption has intensified the conflict cycle, compressing it into smaller, louder, intraday bursts, and those constant interruptions have a material impact on political decision-making, both here and around the world.’ As the Guardian Australia’s political editor, and a veteran of the press gallery in Canberra, Murphy has viewed the decline of traditional media, and its impact on political processes, from a ringside seat. In her On Disruption essay, Murphy maps the ways in which media disruption has affected Australian politics and policy – for better and for worse. In the 20 or so years since the advent of online news, which radical changes do we already take for granted? And in a knee-jerk media environment, how can we develop sound, long-term policies that protect the interests of future generations? At the Wheeler Centre, Murphy joins host Sally Warhaft as they discuss how politicians, journalists and citizens are learning to navigate the changing new media world order. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and David Neiwert — Photo: Sophie Quick At Melbourne Writers Festival, journalist, author and acknowledged expert in American right-wing extremism David Neiwert speaks with Sally Warhaft about journalism, media and politics in the context of the alt-right in Trump’s America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Masha Gessen is an award-winning author and a staff writer at The New Yorker. She speaks to Sally Warhaft about The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia, her non-fiction 2017 National Book Award-winning work that charts the coming-of-age of four Russians born in the early 1980s. Masha Gessen and Sally Warhaft, live at Deakin Edge, Federation Square — Photo: Sophie Quick Presented in partnership with Melbourne Writers Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Glyphosate is the most widely used weed-killer in the world. It’s the active ingredient in Roundup, the flagship agricultural herbicide sold by Monsanto, and it’s used in more than 130 countries including Australia. Glyphosate is in our parks, gardens, golf-courses and playgrounds. And it’s in our food and water. Veteran investigative journalist Carey Gillam has spent decades exploring the links between big business, biotech and agriculture in America. In her new book, Whitewash, she looks into the growing body of research about glyphosate’s health risks – and reveals the legal and marketing strategies Monsanto has employed to prevent and conceal damaging revelations about their product. With Sally Warhaft – and in the immediate aftermath of a landmark US ruling on Roundup's links to a cancer case – this tenacious Kansas-based journalist talks corporate power, public health and reporting Roundup. Presented in partnership with Bendigo Writers Festival. Enjoyed talking to ⁦@careygillam⁩ at ⁦@bgowritersfest⁩ last night. Not sure where she found the American sized beverage in rural Victoria but not surprised. She’s been on Monsanto’s case for 20 years. pic.twitter.com/HmhUlOKvTZ— Sally Warhaft (@SallyWarhaft) August 12, 2018 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Sally Warhaft, Les Hinton – Rupert Murdoch's right-hand man for more than 50 years – talks about the past, present and future of the mainstream press … as well as life alongside the man he calls ‘an authentic colossus’. Sally Warhaft and Les Hinton — Photo: Jon Tjhia Hinton has enjoyed both a close-up and a long view of the radical changes that have swept through the newspaper business. His new book, The Bootle Boy, is a memoir of his progress through the ranks of the Murdoch Empire. Prior to stepping down in 2011, Hinton oversaw the administration of mastheads including the Times, the News of the World and Wall Street Journal; newspapers that, for better or for worse, shaped destinies and held a stake in world affairs. In the book, Hinton gives an insider’s account of the media jostlings of major political figures, provides his own perspective on the phone-hacking scandal and reflects on changing revenue models for newspapers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this episode, Fifth Estate host Sally Warhaft welcomes Tracey Spicer to the Wheeler Centre for a conversation about her accomplished, diverse and fearless life and career in Australian journalism – and the challenges and opportunities arising from the popular movements seeking to correct entrenched sexist behaviour in the media and beyond. Sally Warhaft and Tracey Spicer — Photo: Jon Tjhia In a journalism and media career spanning three decades, you could say Tracey Spicer has seen it all. She’s reported locally, nationally and internationally for TV, radio, print and online, working in news, current affairs, documentary and lifestyle programmes. She’s been a reporter, editor, essayist, columnist, trainer, producer – and, of course, a newsreader and presenter. As one of Australian media’s stalwarts, Spicer has seen the best and worst of the industry, especially in terms of its treatment of women. Her 2006 unfair dismissal case against Channel Ten signalled a shift in the fight against workplace discrimination. For Spicer, it was about standing up for all women. And Spicer’s advocacy extends beyond media – she’s been an ambassador for Dying with Dignity, ActionAid, World Vision, Cancer Council NSW and many more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft, Richard Di Natale and Fiona Patten in discussion at the Wheeler Centre — Photo: Jon Tjhia In the 1980s, Australia was an early adopter of free needle syringe distribution programmes. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, this controversial harm-reduction strategy played a crucial role in mitigating the spread of HIV among Australian injecting drug-users. Despite our history of success with harm-reduction approaches, legislators – and large portions of the public – remain squeamish about these policies. Across Australia, parliaments are still more inclined to pass punitive anti-drug laws. But is this working, and is this even cost-effective, in the context of our spreading problems with ice? Richard Di Natale and Fiona Patten both worked, in differing capacities, in public health prior to their careers in politics. Both have been vocal and active with regards to drug legislation since entering parliament. With Sally Warhaft, the pair discuss the possibilities and limitations of harm reduction in Australia. Fiona Patten — Photo: Jon Tjhia Richard Di Natale — Photo: Jon Tjhia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Katy Tur — Photo: Jon Tjhia Katy Tur, sometimes known as ‘Little Katy, third-rate reporter’, is an award-winning NBC News correspondent. She covered Donald Trump’s campaign from day one and quickly made an enemy of the future president. Tur travelled to 40 states during the campaign and made more than 3,800 live TV reports. Trump didn’t appreciate her direct interview style or her scrupulous attention to facts, and took to singling her out at rallies. He repeatedly named her, called her ‘disgraceful’ and ‘not nice’ and encouraged his supporters to boo her. Tur’s book, Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History, is about her bizarre, exhausting and sometimes frightening days on the campaign trail. It’s also about America’s increasingly hostile political landscape and about the established and shifting standards of Tur’s own chosen profession. For this episode of The Fifth Estate, this indomitable journalist talks provocations, presidents and facing facts with host Sally Warhaft. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Derryn Hinch — Photo: Jon Tjhia Derryn Hinch is among the Australian media’s most controversial and unpredictable characters. He’s the former editor of the Sun and the former New York bureau chief for Fairfax. He’s been sacked from high-rating shows on Channel Seven and 3AW and he’s received on-air death threats from gangsters. He’s written 14 books, been jailed twice, married five times, toured with The Rocky Horror Picture Show and undergone liver transplant surgery. As a veteran broadcaster, journalist and activist, Derryn Hinch has been dubbed ‘the human headline’ – as often the subject, as the reporter, of news. Over the years, he’s embraced the moniker, using his notoriety to crusade for causes he cares about, especially criminal justice reform. Now a Victorian Senator with his own political party, Hinch continues to work towards tougher penalties for convicted criminals. His new book, Hinch Vs Canberra, describes his late-in-life foray into federal politics. With Sally Warhaft, Hinch talks about crime, contempt, the media and the world of Canberra politics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Left to right: Sally Warhaft, George McEncroe and Kate McClymont — Photo: Emily Harms How do headline-grabbing stories about powerful figures in the media affect the broader Australian culture? The #MeToo movement began in the US – with the Harvey Weinstein revelations in October 2017 – and it quickly spread around the globe. In this discussion, we’ll look at how #MeToo is playing out here in Australia with two guests who approach the subject from very different angles. Investigative reporter Kate McClymont broke the Don Burke sexual harassment allegation story late last year. George McEncroe is the founder of Shebah, an all-female rideshare service (in the style of Uber), which launched last year too. With Sally Warhaft, our guests discuss how #MeToo is changing public conversation and affecting private lives. Can #MeToo benefit all women or are the gains of the movement restricted to certain sections of society? What are women riding with Shebah saying about harassment and everyday safety in Australian cities? And what more can be done to effect lasting change? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pat Cunnane — Photo: Jon Tjhia ‘What’s a POTUS?’ Pat Cunnane, aged 22, asked a co-worker this question on one of his first days working at the White House. It’s safe to say he figured out the answer pretty quickly, rising from his first job as White House media monitor to become the senior writer and deputy director for messaging for the POTUS himself, Barack Obama. In Cunnane’s new book, West Winging It: An Unpresidential Memoir, he gives fascinating insider’s account of his six years working at the heart of the Obama administration. During these years, Cunnane wrangled reporters and photographers and wrote statements, opinion pieces and even jokes in the former President’s voice. He was there for the big moments and the small and he was there, of course, for the surprise transition to Donald Trump. With Sally Warhaft, Cunnane talks about what it’s like writing the words that would shape hearts and minds of a nation, and the world. He also shares his thoughts on the American presidency then and now – and the minutiae of daily working life in the White House – talking Trump and Twitter; history and hope. Sally Warhaft and Pat Cunnane — Photo: Jon Tjhia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft and Jacqui Lambie — Photo: Jon Tjhia Jacqui Lambie is hot-blooded, unpredictable and often startlingly candid. Rising to public office with the Palmer United Party in 2013, she quickly outplayed her billionaire party leader, and struck out on her own as an independent for Tasmania in the Senate. In her new memoir, Rebel with a Cause, she shares her story in detail. Hailing from north-western Tasmania, one of the most disadvantaged pockets of the country, Lambie has fought hard for welfare recipients, veterans and families affected by ice addiction, speaking compellingly on these issues from personal experience. Her views on Islam and immigration, meanwhile, have attracted controversy and censure. She was felled by last year’s citizenship debacle, but you can bet we haven’t heard the last of Jacqui Lambie. In the first Fifth Estate session of the year, she talks with host Sally Warhaft about outsiders, authenticity and why ‘you can’t keep a bloody Lambie down’. The Fifth Estate: Jacqui Lambie Watch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the final Fifth Estate of 2017, Sally Warhaft and guests George Megalogenis and Alice Workman look back at the year in Australian politics. The panel dive deep into the issues that have dominated this year’s domestic headlines, from energy policy to housing affordability. They look at the major events that have attracted international attention, too: the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the same-sex marriage postal survey and the crisis following the closure of the Manus Island detention centre. This is the year Bill Shorten freestyled, Pauline Hanson wore a burqa into the Senate and the federal government managed to cause a diplomatic incident with New Zealand. Join us as we reflect on the wild ride of 2017 – from the citizenship debacle to Adani and beyond. Sally Warhaft, George Megalogenis and Alice Workman See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator Sam Dastyari is among the youngest politicians in Canberra, but in just a few years, he’s attracted more attention than many politicians garner over their entire careers. The combination of compelling backstory – told in his new book, One Halal of a Story – and industrial-strength audacity has meant he’s never far from the limelight. Dastyari was born in Iran to student activists and arrived in Australia aged four. He joined the ALP shadow cabinet in his early 30s and quickly rose to prominence in the media too, especially for his campaign against corporate tax avoidance. In 2016, however, he resigned from the Labor frontbench after it was revealed he’d allowed a Chinese-linked company to pay a travel bill. In a radical move, Dastyari now calls for a blanket ban on political donations. At this Fifth Estate session, Sally Warhaft meets a controversial figure in Australian politics. They talk about the inner workings of Parliament House, multiculturalism, memoir and more. Sally Warhaft and Sam Dastyari — Photo: Sophie Quick See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gareth Evans Gareth Evans was at the centre of Australian politics for much of his 21 years in parliament, serving as cabinet minister in both the Hawke and Keating Labor governments. His term as foreign minister, from 1988 to 1996, marked a pivotal time in Australian foreign affairs – and the start of an increased engagement with our Asian neighbours. Since leaving politics, Evans has applied his talents to major posts in international relations, working on crisis resolution, genocide prevention and curbing nuclear proliferation. What does Evans – whose memoir,Incorrigible Optimist, has just been released – make of the growing rumblings of discontent with the political establishment across the western world? And does he believe we can regain faith in political actors and institutions? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In recent times, it seems the Australian Constitution has been in the headlines more often than not. Accordingly, the High Court has been in the spotlight, too. What are our expectations of the judiciary with regard to keeping the other branches of government in check? How well do citizens, and legislators, understand the constitution and the High Court’s role in interpreting it? Sally Warhaft is joined by John Hewson and Adrienne Stone for an episode that delves into recent matters facing the High Court, and its role in Australian democracy today. Sally Warhaft, Adrienne Stone and John Hewson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sally Warhaft, Shashi Tharoor and Meena Kandasamy — Photo: Sophie Quick In 2014, Narendra Modi swept into power as Prime Minister of India; he did so on a pro-business, pro-development platform and on a wave of Hindu nationalism. It was a spectacular victory and, if the decisive recent state election results for his party in Uttar Pradesh are any indication, he remains a popular figure with many Indians – around 80% of whom are Hindus – several years into his leadership. But India is a country with significant populations of religious minorities. Among other religious groups, especially Muslims, and among some concerned Hindu Indians too, there is deep concern about the rising tide of Hindu nationalism in the population. Of particular concern are Modi’s alignment with the extremist nationalist groups, his history of turning a blind-eye to acts of right-wing violence and vigilantism and the growing culture of media censorship. Join authors Shashi Tharoor and Meena Kandasamy as they talk politics and religion in the world’s largest democracy, with host Sally Warhaft. Presented in partnership with Melbourne Writers Festival. Photo: Sophie Quick See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.