Socially Democratic

This episode of Socially Democratic covers the politics of energy transition — why renewables are not just good for the planet, but smart economics and a political winner heading into the Victorian state election and beyond.
Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by Jono La Nauze, CEO of Environment Victoria, and David McElrea, CEO of the Smart Energy Council.
They cover:
🍃 How renewables went from 15% to 45% of Australia’s electricity at half the cost of coal and gas. 
☀️ How One Nation voters are being misled about renewables, and what the polling actually shows. 
⛽ Why the Coalition’s Victorian energy policy is an act of economic self-harm. 
✊ The community organising story behind Victoria’s fracking ban. 
Mentioned in the Show:
Environment Victoria: https://environmentvictoria.org.au/campaign/2026-victorian-election/
Smart Energy Council: https://smartenergy.org.au
Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.
#AustralianPoliticsPodcast #AusPol #AustralianPolitics #LaborParty #ALP #AustralianLabor #ProgressivePolitics #SocialDemocracy #Podcast #CurrentAffairs #EnergyTransition #RenewableEnergy #ClimateChange #CostOfLiving #VictorianElection #EnvironmentVictoria #SmartEnergyCouncil #JonoLaNauze #DavidMcElrea #OneNation #SolarEnergy #Batteries #EV #FrackingVictoria #SECVictoria #OffshoreWind #JessWilson #NuclearEnergy #JayWeatherill #CommunityOrganising
Support the show
Socially Democratic is an opinion-based political and campaign podcast that facilitates discussion on a range of topical issues. The opinions of guests are not an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff at Dunn Street and Socially Democratic.
Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic
If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.
Follow Us on Socials:
Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
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The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au

On Monday afternoon, independent federal member for Indi, Helen Haines, was struck by a vehicle outside her office in Wangaratta. She was flown to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, where she remains in a critical condition.

Whatever the circumstances, Monday’s events in Wangaratta have shone a spotlight on something that that many of us have been watching with growing concern - threats against elected representatives are rising, offices are being attacked, and violent language is more common in the political discourse.

Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by Labor member for Macnamara, Josh Burns MP, for a conversation about Helen Haines, political violence, and the state of our democracy.

We wish Helen Haines a full and speedy recovery.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

#AustralianPoliticsPodcast #AusPol #AustralianPolitics #LaborParty #ALP #AustralianLabor #ProgressivePolitics #SocialDemocracy #Podcast #CurrentAffairs #HelenHaines #Indi #Wangaratta #PoliticalViolence #JoshBurns #Macnamara #Democracy #ASIO #ThreatsAgainstMPs #WomenInPolitics #OnlineAbuse #Misogyny #NACC #AustralianDemocracy #PoliticalDiscourse
Support the show
Socially Democratic is an opinion-based political and campaign podcast that facilitates discussion on a range of topical issues. The opinions of guests are not an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff at Dunn Street and Socially Democratic.
Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic
If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.
Follow Us on Socials:
Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)
The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au

Australian Labor politics podcast Socially Democratic is back with the October Mailbag, and with the Victorian state election just weeks away, this one’s a cracker.
Former Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and two-time election-winning Labor leader Michael Gunner joins the ever-reliable Lissie Ratcliff and host Stephen Donnelly to answer your questions.
Three big threads this month: the Nationals and whether they have any idea how to fight One Nation on their own turf. How to hand over power in a Westminster system without handing your party a disaster. And whether minority governments are really as bad as Australian political culture insists they are.
--
Minderoo is the home of THRIVE BY FIVE, a movement built on the power of families and community in Australia’s early years. Find out more at 
https://www.thrivebyfive.org.au/ or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
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Mentioned in the Show:
Andy Burnham’s Labor Conference speech 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyjTT_55Gi0
The Beartown trilogy by Fredrik Backman: 
https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781405930208/9781405930208
'No, labourism is not liberalism' by Liam Byrne: 
https://byrnel.substack.com/p/no-labourism-is-not-liberalism
Music League app: 
https://apps.apple.com/au/app/music-league/id1589815321
Kaitlyn Does Politics: 
https://www.instagram.com/kaitlyndoespolitics/
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Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.
#AustralianPoliticsPodcast #AusPol #AustralianPolitics #LaborParty #ALP #AustralianLabor #ProgressivePolitics #SocialDemocracy #Podcast #CurrentAffairs #VictorianElection #OneNation #PaulineHanson #NationalParty #MattCanavan #MinorityGovernment #LeadershipTransition #AnthonyAlbanese #BenCarroll #JessWilson #MichaelGunner #LissieRatcliff #Mailbag #AndyBurnham #USMidterms #Greens #Liberals #Coalition
Support the show
Socially Democratic is an opinion-based political and campaign podcast that facilitates discussion on a range of topical issues. The opinions of guests are not an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff at Dunn Street and Socially Democratic.
Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic
If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.
Follow Us on Socials:
Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)
The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au

Australian Labor politics podcast Socially Democratic continues 'The Recount', our month-by-month journey through every federal election since 1972.
On the 18th of May 1974, just 17 months after Labor's historic It's Time victory, Gough Whitlam was forced back to the polls. He hadn't chosen to go early. He'd been pushed by a Senate that refused to pass his legislation, a Country Party senator kept drunk on Townsville prawns, and a Queensland premier who moved faster than his own government.
Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by Dr. Stephen Mills, journalist and former speechwriter in Bob Hawke's office, to examine what they call the 'almost forgotten' election.
They cover:
The Gair Affair: how Labor's attempt to create a casual Senate vacancy by offering Vince Gair the ambassadorship to Ireland collapsed into scandal.
The campaign itself: why Give Gough a Go was more about appealing to the base than winning the marginal seats Labor needed.
How a critical pivot at the start of week two got the Labor campaign back on track.
The joint sitting: the only one in Australian political history, and why it ultimately vindicated Labor's strategy.
And the unlikely connection between Gough Whitlam and Dame Edna.
Plus, nominations.
Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.
Support the show
Socially Democratic is an opinion-based political and campaign podcast that facilitates discussion on a range of topical issues. The opinions of guests are not an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff at Dunn Street and Socially Democratic.
Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic
If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.
Follow Us on Socials:
Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)
The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au

Socially Democratic turns its attention to one of the most consequential elections in Israeli history.
On the 27th of October, Israel goes to the polls. Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by Will Cubbison, political consultant based in Israel and holder of a PhD in political science from George Washington University, to unpack the complexities of Israeli electoral politics ahead of what could be a historic vote.
We break down:
🗳️ How the Knesset works, and why Israel's fully closed list proportional system produces such volatile and fragmented results
🔵 The opposition bloc, the Democrats under Yair Golan, Eisenkot's Yashar, Bennett and Lapid's Together, and Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu, and whether they can get to 61 Knesset seats
🔴 The Netanyahu bloc, Likud, the ultra-Orthodox parties, and the far-right figures of Ben-Gavir and Smotrich whose behaviour has appalled the world
🕌 The Arab sector: Ra'am and the Joint List, and the crucial question of whether their votes can get the opposition over the line
⚖️ The fault lines shaping this election: October 7th and the war in Gaza, the hostages, the ultra-Orthodox draft exemption, and the cost of living
🔮 Will's prediction about the next round of Israel Elections.
Don't miss this episode.
Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

#AustralianPoliticsPodcast #AusPol #AustralianPolitics #LaborParty #ALP #AustralianLabor #ProgressivePolitics #SocialDemocracy #Podcast #CurrentAffairs #IsraeliElection #IsraelPolitics #Netanyahu #Knesset #Eisenkot #YairGolan #Lieberman #Bennett #Lapid #BenGavir #Smotrich #Likud #October7 #Hostages #UltraOrthodoxDraft #IsraeliOpposition #ArabSector #MiddleEast #WillCubbison #UNGA #TwoStateSolution
Support the show
Socially Democratic is an opinion-based political and campaign podcast that facilitates discussion on a range of topical issues. The opinions of guests are not an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff at Dunn Street and Socially Democratic.
Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic
If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.
Follow Us on Socials:
Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)
The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au