Follow The Money

The Australia Institute
  • 4.9 (7)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

Economics and politics explained in plain English

  1. 4h ago

    Break up the 'big four': fixing Australia's scandal-plagued consulting sector

    After years of scandals, it’s time to break up Australia’s ‘big four’ consultancy firms. On this episode of Follow the Money, Josh Bornstein and Skye Predavec join Ebony Bennett to discuss Australia’s scandal-plagued big consultancies, the impact of governments’ “orgy of outsourcing” to these firms, and why breaking up the ‘big four’ is the best way to prevent future misconduct. This episode was recorded on Wednesday 2 September. More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest edition in the Vantage Point series, is available now. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble. Guest: Josh Bornstein, Director, Corporate Regulation, the Australia Institute // @joshbornstein Guest: Skye Predavec, Researcher, the Australia Institute // @skyelark Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Break up the Big Four by Josh Bornstein, Skye Predavec and Anara Watson, the Australia Institute (August 2026) The KPMG scandal: We have seen this show before by Josh Bornstein, The Point (July 2026) 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. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. Aug 26

    The housing crisis is far from over

    The government took on housing investor tax concessions to bring prices down, but more action is needed to address the rental affordability crisis. On this episode of Follow the Money, Maiy Azize and Matt Grudnoff join Ebony Bennett to discuss how the government’s changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing are allowing more first-homebuyers to enter the market, the data revealing that migration isn’t the cause of the housing crisis, and the dire situation facing Australian renters. This episode was recorded on Tuesday 25 August. More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest edition in the Vantage Point series, is available now. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble. Guest: Maiy Azize, Chair, Everybody’s Home & Deputy Director, Anglicare Australia // @maiyazize Guest: Matt Grunoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Priced Out 2026, Everybody’s Home (August 2026) The Coalition’s answer to the housing crisis is a race to the bottom by Maiy Azize, The Point (August 2026) House prices are cooling, exposing a stubborn political narrative for what it is by Maiy Azize, The Point (July 2026) No, the housing tax changes won’t push up rents by Matt Grudnoff, The Point (August 2026) It could take until 2037 to recover from Australia’s real wage collapse by Greg Jericho, The Point (August 2026) 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. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. Aug 19

    How the gas industry tricked Australia with Richard Denniss

    Australians have been dudded by the gas industry. It’s past time governments admitted it. Dr Richard Denniss, Australia Institute co-CEO and author of More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia, joins Ebony Bennett to discuss why Australia gives away gas to multinational corporations and why similarly dud deals could happen with Big Tech and other industries if we don’t learn lessons from the past. This episode was recorded on Tuesday 18 August. More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest edition in the Vantage Point series, is available now. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble. Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Australia’s gas giveaway, the Australia Institute David Pocock, Greens call for investigation into $1.5 billion Middle Arm investment 'shrouded in secrecy' by Roxanne Fitzgerald, ABC News (August 2024) What’s the Point? with Richard Denniss, the Australia Institute 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. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. Aug 12

    “Appalling”: Wilkie slams government’s response to gambling inquiry

    The federal government’s response to the Murphy inquiry into online gambling harms has been “appalling”, says Andrew Wilkie MP. Andrew Wilkie MP, Independent Member for Clark, joins the Australia Institute’s Noah Schultz-Byard to reflect on the government’s gambling reforms, making polluters pay for the damage they do to the climate, and the state of Australian politics. This episode was recorded live as part of the Australia Institute’s webinar series on Wednesday 5 August. If this episode raised issues for you, you can call the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 for free, professional and confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or visit Gambling Help Online at www.gamblinghelponline.org.au. If you or anyone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or online at www.lifeline.org.au. More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble. Guest: Andrew Wilkie, Independent Member for Clark // @andrewwilkiemp Host: Noah Schultz-Byard, Strategy Director, the Australia Institute // @noah_sbyard Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: National Gambling Toll, the Australia Institute SIGN THE PETITION: Ban online gambling ads!, the Australia Institute Australia’s gas giveaway, the Australia Institute Online gambling “reshaping a whole generation” as government reforms fall well short, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (May 2026) 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. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. Aug 5

    Is Australian climate policy finally heading in the right direction?

    A recent decision by the New South Wales state government is a crack in the wall of Australian climate inaction. On this episode of Follow the Money, Leanne Minshull and Rod Campbell join Glenn Connley to discuss dodgy carbon credits, the Great Koala National Park in New South Wales, the federal government’s upcoming review of the Safeguard Mechanism, and the demise of Climate Active. This episode was recorded Tuesday 4 August. More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble. Get your tickets for the Australia Institute’s Climate Integrity Summit 2026 at the Parliament of New South Wales on Tuesday 15 September. Guest: Leanne Minshull, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull Guest: Rod Campbell, Research Director, the Australia Institute // @rodcampbell Host: Glenn Connley, Senior Media Advisor, the Australia Institute // @glennconnley Show notes: Safeguarding the Fossil Fuel Industry? How Carbon Offsetting Undermines the Safeguard Mechanism by Fergus Green and Frances Medlock, the Australia Institute (June 2026) The Safeguard Mechanism is failing miserably, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (July 2026) Koalas Covering for Coal? Dirty Forest Offset Plan Would Mean More Fossil Fuels, the Australia Institute (June 2026) Here are 23 Times Carbon Offsets Were Found to be Dodgy, the Australia Institute (January 2024) 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. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. Jul 29

    Is the fossil fuel industry facing an “imminent extinction event”?

    Much of the world is moving away from fossil fuels, so why is Australia’s gas industry still expanding? On this episode of Follow the Money, renewable energy entrepreneur Assaad Razzouk joins Australia Institute co-CEO Leanne Minshull to discuss how the war on Iran is accelerating the global shift away from fossil fuels and why Australia risks being left behind. This episode was recorded Wednesday 8 July. Pre-order More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble. Guest: Assaad Razzouk, renewable energy entrepreneur and host of The Angry Clean Energy Guy podcast // @assaadrazzouk Host: Leanne Minshull, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull Show notes: The Angry Clean Energy Guy with Assaad Razzouk Australia's Gas Giveaway, the Australia Institute 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. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. Jul 22

    As American democracy faces huge tests, is Australia prepared for the worst?

    No one knows what’ll happen at the November midterms or the next presidential election. Is the Australian government prepared for the worst-case scenario? On this episode of Follow the Money, Dr Emma Shortis joins Glenn Connley to discuss the upcoming midterm elections in the United States, how the Trump administration has been chipping away at the guardrails of American democracy, and whether the Australian government is prepared for the possibility of disputed elections in its major alliance partner. This episode was recorded Tuesday 21 July. Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Host: Glenn Connley, Senior Media Advisor, the Australia Institute // @glennconnley Show notes: After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press (May 2025) Trump administration chips away at independent media, faith in democracy, After America, the Australia Institute (July 2026) Christopher Pyne declares AUKUS 'unstoppable', and says Parliament shouldn't vote on it, The Point (July 2026) Trump’s tragedy: the US becomes an autocracy and the presidency, a dictatorship by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (October 2025) 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. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  8. Jul 17

    BONUS | What's the point of a gas export tax?

    Introducing The Australia Institute's new podcast series, What's the Point? with Richard Denniss. Subscribe to the show on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. *** On this episode of What’s the Point?, Richard Denniss discusses how global gas industry has pulled off the greatest con in Australia’s history, and why Australians are living with the consequences. He spells out the simple steps we need to take to fix it. This episode was recorded on Friday 10 July.Host: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddennissHost: Anna Chang, Managing Editor, The Point // @annachang Show notes:A National Plebiscite for a 25% Gas Export Tax, the Australia InstituteMore Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, Australia Institute Press (forthcoming)Climate Integrity Summit 2026 ticketsFor more research and analysis, visit The Point. Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See All (434)

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Economics and politics explained in plain English

Information

  • Creator
    The Australia Institute
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    434
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Australia Institute
  • Show Website
    Follow The Money

You Might Also Like