After America

• The nuclear option

  Trump’s statements about resuming American nuclear testing left administration officials scrambling. On this episode of After America, Dr Ruth Mitchell, neurosurgeon and Nobel Prize winner with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the 80th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Trump’s nuclear testing claims, American healthcare under RFK Jr.’s leadership, and the misogyny at the heart of key US institutions. This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 19 November 2025. 1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, chat online or video call via their website. A time for Bravery: what happens when Australia chooses courage is available for pre-order now via Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘SAVE5’ to get $5 off. Aiming Higher: Universities and Australia’s future by Professor George Williams is also available now. Guest: Ruth Mitchell, Chair, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War // @drruthmitchell Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Show notes: Medicine price comparison between Australia and the United States by Matt Grudnoff, the Australia Institute (April 2025) While the rest of the world rushes to hire US scientists that Trump has cut, Australia follows in his footsteps by Tegan George, The Point (November 2025) Man collapses behind Donald Trump during White House announcement by Richard Wood, 9 News (November 2025) As Summers Sought Clandestine Relationship With Woman He Called a Mentee, Epstein Was His ‘Wing Man’ by Dhuruv T Patel and Cam N Srivastava, The Harvard Crimson (November 2025) Theme music: 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 [email protected] After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Did the US play a role in the Whitlam dismissal?

  Rumours about America's role in the dismissal of Gough Whitlam have circulated for decades – but is there any truth to them? On this special episode of After America, we explore the state of the Australia-United States relationship under the Whitlam government, the machinations at the time around the renewal of Pine Gap, and the previously untold account of Dr Liz Cham, former executive assistant in the office of Prime Minister Whitlam, who recalls handing over a mystery letter to an American official just before the Dismissal. The interview with Liz Cham was recorded on Thursday 30 October. A time for Bravery: what happens when Australia chooses courage is available for pre-order now via Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘SAVE5’ to get $5 off. Aiming Higher: Universities and Australia’s future by Professor George Williams is also available now. Guest: Elizabeth Cham, fellow at the University of Technology Sydney and former executive assistant in the office of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Scripting and production support: Stephen Long Sound design and mixing: Simon Branthwaite Show notes: Did the CIA overthrow the Whitlam government? by Charlie Lewis, Crikey (November 2025) What Washington really thought of Whitlam before the dismissal by James Curran, Australia Financial Review (November 2025) Theme music: 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 [email protected] After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• "Anti-achievement" Democrats let pressure off Trump

  By negotiating an end to the government shutdown without getting anything much in return, some Democrats have gone back to their old trick of resisting the President by giving him exactly what he needs. On this episode of After America, Crikey’s Charlie Lewis joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss Congress’ failure to extend life-saving health insurance tax credits, Trump’s inability to make the Epstein files go away, and whether there is evidence of US involvement in the dismissal of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. This discussion was recorded on Friday 14 November. Aiming Higher: Universities and Australia’s future by Professor George Williams is available now via Australia Institute Press. Guest: Charlie Lewis, Reporter-at-large, Crikey // @theshufflediary Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Show notes: Shorter America: Opposing Trump, trouble in paradise, the American elite by Emma Shortis, The Point (November 2025) The Democrats were winning the shutdown. So naturally, they caved by Charlie Lewis, Crikey (November 2025) Did the CIA overthrow the Whitlam government? by Charlie Lewis, Crikey (November 2025) What Washington really thought of Whitlam before the dismissal by James Curran, Australia Financial Review (November 2025) Theme music: 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 [email protected] After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Democrats sweep to victory after shutdown becomes longest ever

  In New York City, California, New Jersey and Virginia, American voters sent Trump and Republicans a clear message. On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis joins Angus Blackman to discuss the results of last week’s sweeping election victories. They discuss what it all means for the Democratic Party, how the MAGA-verse is responding, and the impact of the longest federal government shutdown in American history. This discussion was recorded on Monday 10 November. Follow Emma’s work at The Point, where she publishes a column on the week in American politics every Monday. Join Emma and Don Watson in conversation in Carlton on Saturday 15 November. Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, the Australia Institute // @AngusRB Show notes: Democrats' 2025 election wins go beyond big races to places like Georgia, Pennsylvania by Stephen Fowler, NPR (November 2025) Dems Won. Cue the Far-Right Crash-Out by Kiera Butler, Mother Jones (November 2025) Theme music: 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 [email protected] After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• "Everything is uncertain": Trump-Xi meeting leaves the world on edge

  Trump and Xi may have come to a “deal”, but their meeting was a wasted opportunity. Plus: what do Australians think about our relationship with the US? On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis joins Angus Blackman to discuss some new Australia Institute polling, which shows that Australians are less than convinced that we “share values” with Trump’s America. Emma is then joined by Dr Frank Yuan and Allan Behm to discuss Trump’s meeting with Xi and the chaos whirling around the president. The first part of this discussion was recorded on Friday 31st October. The second part was recorded on Monday 3rd November. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via Australia Institute Press. Guest: Allan Behm, Special Advisor in International Affairs, the Australia Institute Guest: Dr Frank Yuan, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Australia Institute // @yuan-frank Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, the Australia Institute // @AngusRB Show notes: How China Sees the South China Sea: Beijing’s policy and interests in the South China Sea disputes by Frank Yuan, Allan Behm and Rod Campbell, The Australia Institute (October 2025) What you need to know about the next Trump/Xi meeting by Emma Shortis, The Point (October 2025) American exceptionalism: the poison that cannot protect its children from violent death by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (May 2022) Theme music: 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 [email protected]. Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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