A Rational Fear

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Special guest: Michael Bones, Senior Manager of Advocacy at the Investor Group on Climate Change
A landmark High Court decision could change how Australian authorities assess proposed fossil-fuel projects. Dan Ilic and Lewis Hobba speak with Michael Bones about the Mount Pleasant coal mine case, why Scope 3 emissions matter, and what the ruling does—and doesn’t—mean for future mine approvals.
In this episode
Dan shares his move into the CEO role at GetUp.
Michael explains the High Court’s ruling on the proposed Mount Pleasant mine expansion and emissions from exported coal.
The group discusses why Scope 3 emissions made up about 98% of the project’s emissions, and why the court said authorities must consider their local climate impacts.
Michael clarifies that the ruling does not automatically block the mine: planning authorities must consider the impacts, but can still decide to approve a project.
The conversation explores what the decision could mean for future mine approvals, climate-related legal challenges, and communities facing fires, floods, heat and other climate risks.
They also discuss climate damage to the economy, the social cost of carbon, clean-energy jobs and the costs of rebuilding after disasters.
Dan and Lewis wrap up with details about the Irrational Fear live show at the Cheerful Earful Podcast Festival in Melbourne.
Chapters
00:04 Dan’s new role and nonprofit life
01:51 The live show and today’s guest
03:00 Michael Bones joins to unpack Scope 3 emissions
04:09 The Mount Pleasant case and what the High Court decided
06:22 Why Scope 3 emissions account for most of the project’s footprint
07:39 Attribution science and connecting emissions to local impacts
09:09 The scale of the proposed coal expansion
09:37 What the ruling could mean for other mine approvals
12:14 Climate disasters, housing and economic costs
14:13 What planning authorities are required to consider
16:09 Potential implications for mining projects
18:01 The High Court decision and its 3–2 split
20:21 Closing thoughts and live-show details
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Here’s a tighter, no‑fluff version you can drop straight into podcast apps:
A Rational Fear – 18 September 2026
Dan Ilic is joined by Lewis Hobba, Grace Vegesana (AYCC) and journalist Laura Banks to tear into Australia’s media, politics, and AI hype.
In this episode:

Karl Stefanovic’s podcast implosion, his blame‑shifting over the Tommy Robinson interview, and whether progressives should just buy his show and reprogram him.
AI “we might end humanity” doom talk from Anthropic, OpenAI and Musk, and how it smells more like cartel-building and excuse-making than conscience.
Grace on the Beetaloo Compute Zone and how AI data centres are being hard‑wired to fracked gas projects to keep fossil fuels alive.
Laura’s investigation into Samsung (and others) auto‑surfacing Sky News/News 24 on smart TVs, the commercial deals behind it, and what that means for regional voters and media diversity.
The panel’s on-the-ground view of AI in creative, legal and health work: hallucinations, bad posters, fake court cases, and very few genuine wins.

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It was a real thrill for Lewis and me to chat with a new voice in Australian satire: Henry Bretz.
For the past four months, Henry has been making the internet laugh with his uncanny, permanently furious impression of Karl Stefanovic's Right Wing Nut Job era. He's a fellow Queenslander, which only makes it sweeter.
By day he's on Mix FM on the Sunshine Coast. The rest of the time he's on TikTok and Instagram, taking apart the Australian political and media landscape. We can't wait to work with him again.
Henry's performing September 3rd at Good Chat Comedy Club in Brisbane.
And we're on October 24th at the Cheerful Earful podcast festival in Melbourne. Line-up TBA — we haven't booked anyone yet, so tell us who you want to see.
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REGISTER FOR THE BIG BBQ: https://bigbbq.com.au/lesson

In this episode, we explore Australia's energy transition, climate policy, and innovative initiatives like the world's largest veggie burger lesson powered by electric vehicles. Guest Thom Woodroofe shares insights on policy levers, sustainability, and Australia's future in the global green economy.

Thom has a book — you can check it out here: https://publishing.monash.edu/product/power-prosperity-planet/

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear
Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon.
🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show.
🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows.
🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos.
👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions.
💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord.
If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261a
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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This week Dan and Lewis Hobba are joined by independent journalist Michael West of Michael West Media — who's being sued by BHP, Australia's biggest company, over his reporting on coal miner Simon Turner's decade-long fight for compensation. Turner broke his back at BHP's Mount Arthur mine in 2015, was misclassified as a "clerical worker," and paid $400 a week for a job whose award rate is $137,000 a year. Sitting behind the lawsuit is a potentially $10 billion labour hire wage theft scandal involving Chandler Macleod and Coal LSL — and the awkward fact that BHP, a $300 billion company, is also the major sponsor of the Walkley Awards while using Minter Ellison to muzzle a four-person independent newsroom.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear
Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon.
🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show.
🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows.
🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos.
👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions.
💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord.
If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261a
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.