Follow The Money

Six months out from an election, Victoria has been left with no political donation laws after the High Court ruled them unconstitutional.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Bill Browne joins Ebony Bennett to discuss why the High Court voided Victoria’s undemocratic political donations laws. They examine what this could mean for other jurisdictions and why a principled, transparent approach to political donations reform is needed – not legislation that skews the system in favour of major parties.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 19 May.
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Guest: Bill Browne, Director, Democracy & Accountability, the Australia Institute // @browne90
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Victoria’s donation restrictions are unconstitutional – what happens now? by Bill Browne, The Point (April 2026)
Open letter calls on Victorian Parliament to make election donation laws fair and transparent from Australian Democracy Network, Accountability Round Table, Transparency International Australia, Human Rights Law Centre, the Australia Institute and many other integrity and community organisations (May 2026)
High Court shines a light on how major parties have stacked the system in their favour by Bill Browne, The Point (April 2026)
High Court gives Victoria a chance to rethink its unconstitutional, undemocratic political donation laws, the Australia Institute (April 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 [email protected]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
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Australians are crying out for big, brave reforms from governments. The long-overdue changes to housing tax concessions in this budget suggest the federal government may be starting to get the message.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Matt Grudnoff and Ebony Bennett discuss the government’s important changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, its “brutal” cuts to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and why some “broken promises” may not be such a big deal in the eyes of Australians.
This episode was recorded on Wednesday 13 May.
The latest Vantage Point essay, Rich Kid Poor Kid: The Battle for Public Education by Jane Caro, is available now for $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.
Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Budget 2026: What the government’s housing tax changes mean for first home buyers and housing affordability by Matt Grudnoff, The Point (May 2026)
Budget 2026: Government targets investor tax breaks and trust loopholes in housing reform package by Tegan George, The Point (May 2026)
Budget 2026: Treasurer's speech, annotated by Greg Jericho, The Point (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 [email protected]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After major missteps, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is falling well short of the gold standard for integrity bodies.
On this episode of Follow the Money, journalist and writer Nick Feik joins Ebony Bennett to discuss the NACC’s handling of its Robodebt investigation, its decision not to hold public hearings so far, and concerns about the legal experience required of some senior leaders.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 5 May and some things may have changed.
The latest Vantage Point essay, Rich Kid Poor Kid: The Battle for Public Education by Jane Caro, is available now for $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.
Guest: Nick Feik, journalist and writer // @nickfeik
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Built to fail? NACC: the integrity body undermined from the start by Nick Feik, Michelle Fahy & Elizabeth Minter, The Point (April 2026)
Resignation of Deputy Commissioner highlights need for transparent, merit-based NACC appointments, the Centre for Public Integrity (May 2026)
National Anti-Corruption Commission: Reforms Needed, 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 [email protected]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How have a select few accumulated such colossal wealth while many Australians struggle?
On this episode of Follow the Money, Senator Larissa Waters, leader of the Australian Greens, joins Ebony Bennett to discuss the causes of Australia’s housing crisis, making gas exporters pay their fair share, and the Greens’ new ‘tax the 1%’ campaign.
The latest Vantage Point essay, Rich Kid Poor Kid: The Battle for Public Education by Jane Caro, is available now for $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.
Guest: Larissa Waters, Australian Greens leader and Senator for Queensland // @larissawaters
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
The case for a gas export tax, explained by Richard Denniss, The Point (March 2026)
Japanese Government collects more tax from Australian gas than Australian Government, the Australia Institute (April 2026)
Australia's Gas Giveaway, the Australia Institute
Santos records nearly $47bn in sales over a decade without paying corporate tax by Matt Grudnoff, The Point (April 2026)
Three ways Australia can tax wealth better by David Richardson and Richard Denniss, the Australia Institute (August 2025)
Inequality, Democracy, and Distributive Justice with Gabriel Zucman, Global Progressive Mobilization on YouTube (April 2026)
Oligarchy or Democracy with Wayne Swan, Global Progressive Mobilization on YouTube (April 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 [email protected]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is one of the largest exporters of gas in the world, yet beer drinkers pay more tax than the gas industry pays in Petroleum Resources Rent Tax.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Senator David Pocock and Dr Richard Denniss join Leanne Minshull to discuss the case for a 25 per cent gas export tax, why Australians currently get so little in return for the country’s finite resources, and how the gas industry wields power in parliament.
This episode was recorded live at the Australia Institute’s Politics in the Pub event on Wednesday 15 April. Subscribe now to find out about more live events from the Australia Institute.
Guest: David Pocock, Independent Senator for the Australia Capital Territory // @davidpocock
Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss
Host: Leanne Minshull, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull
Host: Glenn Connley, Senior Media Advisor, the Australia Institute // @glennconnley
Show notes:
Australia's Gas Giveaway, the Australia Institute
The case for a gas export tax, explained by Richard Denniss, The Point (March 2026)
Beer, HECS and visas: things that raise more revenue than the Petroleum Rent Resource Tax (PRRT) by Matt Grudnoff, The Point,
Senate inquiry into taxing gas exports begins as experts call system 'broken' by Tegan George, The Point (April 2026)
Japanese Government collects more tax from Australian gas than Australian Government, the Australia Institute (April 2026)
One Nation and Greens voters strongly support 25% Gas Export Tax: poll, the Australia Institute (February 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 [email protected]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.