Socially Democratic

Socially Democratic goes live at the 50th ALP National Conference Fringe in Adelaide for a special panel on one of the Labor Party's most important and least discussed challenges: how do we grow our membership, and how do we keep people once they join?
Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by Todd Pinkerton, Director of Campaigns and Strategy at Unions NSW; Bisma Asif, Member for Sandgate in the Queensland Parliament; and Hannah MacLeod, Executive Director SA/NT at the McKell Institute.
They cover:
🧩 Why there's no coordinated national strategy for Labor Party recruitment, and what that costs us
💸 Potential structural issues like the price of joining and the waiting list problem
📉 The Corbyn cautionary tale: when half a million people joined UK Labour and almost none of them did anything
🍺 Politics in the pub, gazebos, and Labor merch: what's actually working on the ground
🗳️ What Bisma learned from doorknocking for eight months
🤝 The missing middle. Who's recruiting the people who aren't at uni and aren't retired?
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

Australian Labor politics podcast Socially Democratic goes live at the 50th ALP National Conference in Adelaide.
Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by David Feeney and Jessie McCrone for a wide-ranging night of conference trivia, half-year report cards, and hot takes.
They cover:
🏛️ Conference democracy. Has expanding the ALP National Conference to 400 delegates made it more powerful or less?
🌟 South Australia's golden era. Penny Wong, Don Farrell, Mark Butler, Peter Malinauskas, and why the SA branch is punching well above its weight
Plus,
📊 Half-year report cards. 
🍺 Conference trivia. 
🏆 Who won the month.
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 #ALPNationalConference #Adelaide #SouthAustralia #PennyWong #DonFarrell #MarkButler #PeterMalinauskas #AnthonyAlbanese #OneNation #PaulineHanson #Greens #Teals #LiberalParty #AngusT aylor #AndyBurnham #TobaccoPolicy #DavidFeeney #JessieMcCrone #FeeneyFiles #HousingPolicy #Elections
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 a snap episode. Victoria has a new Premier.
On Monday and Tuesday, in a matter of 48 hours, Jacinta Allan was replaced by Ben Carroll, who is now the 50th Premier of Victoria.
Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by two people who know Victorian Labor politics from the inside: former Victorian State Secretary and MP David Feeney, and former Chief of Staff to the Daniel Andrews - Lissie Ratcliff.
They unpack:
🏛️ The plot. Sunday night's factional conveners meeting, Monday's delegation, the cabinet meeting, the leaked briefing note, and Tuesday's caucus showdown
🧵 Why Jacinta Allan's Premiership came to a head: the construction industry scandal, the Canberra disease infecting Spring Street, and a decentralised cabinet
🗳️ The deputy leadership ballot: Gabriel Williams needing right faction votes, and what it means for the left's internal split
🔧 What Ben Carroll has to do in the next 130 days before the election: staffing, reshuffling, pivoting to campaign mode, and setting a new agenda
⚖️ The defensive grid vs the proactive agenda: integrity, community and safety, and economics
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

This episode of Socially Democratic is a special two-parter recorded on the eve of the ALP National Conference in Adelaide.
Part one: pollster John Armitage from Qdos Research joins Stephen for a mid-year federal check-in. One Nation is at 30% in Newspoll. The Liberals have collapsed to 19%. And the swing is coming from women.
Part two: Priya Brown from GRA Partners breaks down the Secret Harbour by-election in WA: a long winter campaign in a mortgage-belt seat that One Nation has firmly in its sights.
📊 One Nation at 30%: what it means on two-party preferred, and why the vote is still soft
🏛️ Why the Liberals going One Nation-lite is electoral suicide
🧭 Competent vs caring: how voters see Albanese, Taylor, and Hanson
👩 Why Labor is losing women to One Nation, and how to get them back
🗺️ Secret Harbour: demographics, redrawn boundaries, and One Nation's perfect test seat
🏆 Why Labor's campaign machine gives them the edge in a long winter by-election
Don't miss this ep.
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 #OneNation #PaulineHanson #Polling #Newspoll #JohnArmitage #KudosResearch #SecretHarbour #WesternAustralia #WAPolitics #PriyaPatelBrown #WomenVoters #MortgageBelt #FIFOWorkers #LiberalParty #AngusT aylor #AnthonyAlbanese #Elections #Campaigns #Strategy #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

Socially Democratic is back with the July Mailbag, and we're here to answer your questions on AI regulation, nationalising critical infrastructure, and whether Victorians should be nervous about the state election.

Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by former Chief of Staff to Daniel Andrews and Managing Partner at FMRS Advisory Lissie Ratcliff, and the Director of Campaigns and Strategy at Unions NSW, Todd Pinkerton.

They cover:

🤖 Albanese's big AI speech. Is it a fundamental shift in the government's position, or just a step in the right direction?

🏭 The recent Telstra outage prompts the question: Should Labor nationalise critical infrastructure?

🏠 Victoria's housing story: why Labor governments need to get off the fence and just say they want house prices to come down

🗳️ The Victorian Election: With One Nation polling at 27%, and Liberal support collapsing, should Labor be worried?

👀 Plus: the watch (and read and listen) list. Top recommendations from Todd, Lissie, and Stephen.

Mentioned in the Show:

Socially Democratic: Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone LIVE!

Friday July 24, 5:15pm
The Jade
142-160 Flinders Street
Adelaide, SA 5000

Purchase tickets: https://bit.ly/4w0M6AI

Send a Woman to Washington! A full ride to the 2026 Dunn Street United States Engagement Mission. Applications close July 31.
Apply here: https://bit.ly/4aRSO3l

Graham Greene's Our Man in Havana: https://bit.ly/4ppNydk
and The Quiet American: https://bit.ly/3RkWqEr

The Fourth Estate: In Conversation with Barrie Cassidy

Part 1: https://apple.co/4aZa2vM

Part 2: https://apple.co/4bragMe

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