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Coups, assassinations, detentions and disinformation are just some of the tactics that have been used to undermine democracies. But who is behind them? A new research consortium is delving into the connections between politicians, think-tanks and private IT companies who they say are propping up reactionary forces around the world. And their work has drawn links between Israel, India and Mexico. 

Guest: David Adler, Co-General Coordinator of Progressive International and founder of its research consortium on The Reactionary International. 

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is about to hand down his third budget - the likely last before the next election. The government needs to sell a message of being fiscally responsible and staving off inflation while addressing increasing demands to address the cost of living and housing crises. Can they do it?

Guest: Laura Tingle, Chief Political Correspondent, 7.30

Hugh Mackay is one of Australia's leading social psychologist who examines our society today and asks timely and urgent questions about its future in his new book The Way We Are : Lessons from a lifetime of listening - published by Allen and Unwin.

The Pacific has the world’s lowest rate of women’s representation in Parliament. What can be done to solve this deeply entrenched problem and how might gender quotas play a role? 

Guests:

Pionie Boso is the program manager at the Women’s Rights Action Movement in the Solomon Islands. In 2011, she was awarded an International Women of Courage Award for her work in tackling domestic violence.  

Dr Theresa Meki is a Pacific Research Fellow with the ANU’s Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs.

How did an unknown Marxist scholar sell half a million copies of a book about degrowth communism in his homeland of Japan? And why is a complete transformation of our economic life necessary to save the planet?  

Guest: Kohei Saito is an associate professor at the University of Tokyo, and the youngest-ever winner of the Deutscher Memorial Prize for scholarship in the Marxist tradition. His book is Slow Down: How degrowth communism can save the earth (Hachette Australia). 

At a time when US security feels less assured, should Japan and Australia be forging stronger ties? Japanese author, playwright and translator Roger Pulvers says that while defence is an important arm of our relationship, we should also lean into our shared cultural and commercial interests.