Follow The Money

Richard Denniss discusses the government’s response to the Bondi terrorist attacks, the chaos of the Trump administration and how to protect Australia’s democracy. On this episode of Follow the Money, Richard Denniss and Ebony Bennett discuss the political and policy response to devasting Bondi terrorist attacks, the cancellation of Adelaide Writers’ Week, Trump and the Australia-US alliance, and what to look out for in federal politics in 2026. A time for Bravery: what happens when Australia chooses courage is available now via Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘POD5’ at checkout to save $5 off the price – available for a limited time only. Dead Centre: how political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is also available now. Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: ‘Engaging with people you disagree with is part of democracy. Silencing authors is not.’ by Richard Denniss, The Point (January 2026) After America podcast, the Australia Institute After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press (May 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 [email protected] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would it take to make the PALM scheme a genuine win-win for Australia and its neighbours? In the fourth and final episode of PALMed Off, host Morgan Harrington canvases some of the proposed solutions to the problems facing the PALM scheme, including an amnesty for disengaged workers and ensuring that everyone working in Australia has the right to leave their employer. PALMed Off is a special four-part series of Follow the Money exploring the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, an Australian Government guestworker program that could be putting people from nine Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste at risk of modern slavery. The interviews for this podcast were recorded between June and August 2025. Host: Morgan Harrington, Research Manager, The Australia Institute // @mhharrington Interviewees: Ken Dachi (Welcoming Australia), Dr Lindy Kanan (researcher), Dr Matt Withers (ANU), (Waskam) Emelda Davis (ASSI-Port Jackson Chair), Thomas Costa (Unions NSW), anonymous former PALM workers Scripting and production support: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow & Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute Sound design and mixing: Simon Branthwaite Show notes: ‘The PALM Scheme: Labour rights for our Pacific partners’, The Australia Institute (December 2023) “If I stay like this, how can I benefit my family?” Initial findings on disengagement from the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme by Kirstie Petrou, Matt Withers, Kaya Barry and Emily House, Griffith University (December 2025) Australian South Sea Islanders – Port Jackson: publications Theme music: ‘Mumbwe’ by Tio, with thanks to the Wantok Music Foundation We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PALM visas holders do not get Medicare (outside of a trial limited to 200 people), so what happens when they are injured, get sick or fall pregnant? In episode three of PALMed Off, host Morgan Harrington hears how a lack of affordable medical care can have dire consequences for PALM visa holders and discusses the problems faced by women who fall pregnant whilst working in Australia. PALMed Off is a special four-part series of Follow the Money exploring the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, an Australian Government guestworker program that could be putting people from nine Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste at risk of modern slavery. The interviews for this podcast were recorded between June and August 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. Host: Morgan Harrington, Research Manager, The Australia Institute // @mhharrington Interviewees: Ken Dachi (Welcoming Australia), Dr Lindy Kanan (researcher), Dr Matt Withers (The Australian National University), (Waskam) Emelda Davis (ASSI-Port Jackson Chair), Thomas Costa (Unions NSW), anonymous former PALM workers Scripting and production support: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow & Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute Sound design and mixing: Simon Branthwaite Show notes: ‘It’s not illegal to be pregnant’ by Lindy Kanan, DevPolicy Blog (May 2025) ‘Reproductive Health and Rights for PALM Scheme Workers – Statement’, Australian Women’s Health Alliance (May 2025) Theme music: ‘Mumbwe’ by Tio, with thanks to the Wantok Music Foundation We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where do the thousands of people who have left the PALM scheme, but stayed in Australia, go? How do they survive without a valid visa and, more importantly, what does the future hold for them? In episode two of PALMed Off, host Morgan Harrington travels to Leeton, New South Wales, a town that’s become a safe haven for some of the estimated 7,000 people who have ‘disengaged’ from the PALM scheme. We find out what leads people to make the difficult decision to walk away from their employer and speak to some of the community members trying to help them. PALMed Off is a special four-part series of Follow the Money exploring the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, an Australian Government guestworker program that could be putting people from nine Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste at risk of modern slavery. The interviews for this podcast were recorded between June and August 2025. Host: Morgan Harrington, Research Manager, The Australia Institute // @mhharrington Interviewees: Ken Dachi (Welcoming Australia), Paul Maytom (Leeton Multicultural Support Group), Ian Bull (member of St. Peter’s Anglican congregation, Leeton), (Waskam) Emelda Davis (ASSI-Port Jackson Chair), anonymous former PALM workers Scripting and production support: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow & Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute Sound design and mixing: Simon Branthwaite Show notes: ‘Towards a Fair and Sustainable PALM Scheme’, PALM position paper from the Mayoral Alliance for the Pacific, Welcoming Communities ‘Meat the Reality: Unpacking the Exploitation of PALM Scheme Workers in Australia’s Meat Industry’ by Ema Moolchand and Professor Shelley Marshall, RMIT University (February 2025) Theme music: ‘Mumbwe’ by Tio, with thanks to the Wantok Music Foundation We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this summer mini-series, we examine the Australian guestworker program that could be putting people from Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste at risk of modern slavery. In PALMed Off, a special Follow the Money mini-series, we explore the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, a program that allows people from nine Pacific Island nations and Timor Leste to work in Australia on a special temporary visa. The Australian Government argues the program is a win for the workers, their home communities and Australian employers. But PALM visa holders are subjected to restrictions that no other worker in Australia – temporary or permanent – have to put up with, and this has led to concerns that the program is facilitating modern slavery in Australia. In the first episode of this four-part series, host Morgan Harrington speaks with people from Vanuatu who have worked in Australia under the PALM scheme and considers what it really means for Australia’s relationships with Pacific Island nations. The interviews for this podcast were recorded between June and August 2025. Host: Morgan Harrington, Research Manager, The Australia Institute // @mhharrington Interviewees: Enoch Takaua (ecotourism business operator), Thomas Costa (Unions NSW), Dr James Cockayne (NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner), (Waskam) Emelda Davis (ASSI-Port Jackson Chair), Dr Matt Withers (ANU), Murielle Meltenoven (Commissioner, Vanuatu Department of Labour & Employment Services), anonymous former PALM workers. Scripting and production support: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow & Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute Sound design and mixing: Simon Branthwaite Show notes: “Be Our Guests: Addressing urgent modern slavery risks for temporary migrant workers in rural and regional New South Wales", Report of the Office of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner (September 2024) Unions NSW Migrant Workers Hub Australian South Sea Islanders – Port Jackson: publications Theme music: ‘Mumbwe’ by Tio, with thanks to the Wantok Music Foundation We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.