What's the Big Idea?

• Where to now for Indigenous justice?

  After the failure of the Voice referendum, achieving justice for Indigenous Australians remains more important than ever. This demands keeping hope alive. On this episode, Thomas Mayo joins Paul Barclay to discuss the Voice referendum, the use of Indigenous issues as a political football, disinformation in the media and social media, truth in political advertising laws, and the continuing importance of the Uluru Statement and a voice for indigenous people. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 6 February 2025, and things may have changed since the recording. Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Thomas Mayo, Assistant National Secretary, Maritime Union of Australia // @thomasmayo Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay Show notes: Compared to the cost of protesting, buying time with a minister is very cheap by Jack Thrower and Vivien Clarke, the Australia Institute (January 2025) Truth in political advertising laws, factsheet, the Australia Institute (December 2024) Misinformation and the referendum by Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (October 2023) Supporting Media Diversity: Nordic Lessons by Ebony Bennett, Dr Maria Rae and Professor Kristy Hess, the Australia Institute (February 2023) 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] What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• One vote. One value.

  Australians know how to solve national problems, but our political system protects the duopoly that creates them. That’s why we need proportional representation. On this episode, Paul Barclay is joined by former senator Christine Milne who brings her expertise and insights on how proportional representation and minority governments can be much more democratic, diverse, and help reduce corporate lobbying power. This discussion was recorded on Monday 27 January 2025, and things may have changed since the recording. Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Christine Milne AO, Former Leader of the Australian Greens // @ChristineMilne Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay Show notes Power sharing in Australian parliament by Bill Browne and Richard Denniss, the Australia Institute (July 2024) Representative, Still: The role of the Senate in our Democracy, by Bill Browne and Ben Oquist, the Australia Institute (March 2021) Healthy democracies need strong oppositions by Ben Oquist, The Canberra Times (March 2021) 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] What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Protecting your ABC

  The ABC is always under attack. The best thing we can do for democracy is defend it. On this episode, Paul Barclay talks with Alex Sloan about the importance of independent public broadcasters, why they need to be well-funded in an increasingly privately-owned media landscape, and how they are the barometer of a strong democracy. This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 19 March 2025, and things may have changed since the recording. Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Alex Sloan, former ABC broadcaster and award-winning journalist and interviewer Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay Show notes: Submission: An independent ABC for a strong democracy by Benjamin Walters and Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (November 2023) Royal Commissions and inquiries prompted by ABC journalism by Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (August 2023) Polling – The ABC and public broadcasting, the Australia Institute (April 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] What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• What does good cultural leadership look like?

  There’s nothing indulgent about public funding for Australian culture. More funds would fix many of the sector’s problems. On this episode, Adelaide Writers Week director Louise Adler joins Paul Barclay to talk about the biggest challenges facing the arts sector, including higher costs and prices, greater reliance on philanthropy and greater vulnerability to political controversies. This discussion was recorded on Monday, 3 February 2025, and things may have changed since the recording. Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Louise Adler, Director of Adelaide Writers Week // @louieadller1 Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay Show notes: Commonwealth live music inquiry: sing along with the chorus now… by Morgan Harrington, the Australia Institute (March 2025) The Carnival is Over: music festivals struggle as football roars by Morgan Harrington, the Australia Institute (October 2024) Art vs Dismal Science: The economics of Australia’s creative arts sector by Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (April 2020) Background Brief: Economic Importance of the Arts and Entertainment Sector by Bill Browne, the Australia Institute (June 2020) 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 What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Australia has power, why don’t we act like it?

  In a world of uncertainty, it is more important than ever for Australia to stop dismissing ourselves as a ‘middle power’ and start exerting our influence on the global stage. On this episode, Allan Behm joins Paul Barclay to discuss Australia’s diplomatic strategy of ‘pre-emptive capitulation’, America’s international bullying and how Australia should use its unrecognised national power. This discussion was recorded on Monday, 24 February 2025, and things may have changed since the recording. Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Guest: Allan Behm, Special Advisor in International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay Show notes: AUSFTA: A bad deal then. Even worse now., by Jack Thrower, the Australia Institute (March 2025) With friends like these, After America (February 2025) Polling – President Trump, security and the US–Australian alliance, Polling brief (March 2025) Talk us through AUKUS, by Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (February 2023) 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 What's the Big Idea?: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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