Follow The Money

A 25% gas export tax would drive down gas prices for Australians and collect billions of dollars that can be used to provide better, cheaper health and education services.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Rod Campbell and Ebony Bennett discuss the case for a 25% gas export tax and the New South Wales government’s ban on new coal mines.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 24 March.
You can sign the Australia Institute’s petition calling on the federal government to make gas exporters pay their fair share.
Guest: Rod Campbell, Research Director, the Australia Institute // @rodcampbell
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)
Tax gas exports, invest in health/aged care – new polls, the Australia Institute (March 2026)
What the Middle East war means for Australians and gas companies, the Australia Institute (March 2026)
'No new coal or gas is a slogan, not a policy': Bowen, ABC Radio National (March 2023)
SUMMER SPECIAL | President Anote Tong, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (January 2017)
What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo, Australia Institute Press (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.

Now costing Australian governments $31,020 per minute, fossil fuel subsidies are growing faster than spending on the NDIS.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Rod Campbell and Ebony Bennett discuss why it’s time to call out the idea that governments can’t afford to support Australians in need yet still dish out $16.3 billion on fossil fuel subsidies in 2025-26 alone.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 17 March.
What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.
You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.
Guest: Rod Campbell, Research Director, the Australia Institute // @rodcampbell
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Fossil fuel subsidies in Australia 2026 by Matt Grudnoff and Rod Campbell, the Australia Institute (March 2026)
Australia’s great gas giveaway, the Australia Institute (May 2024)
Joseph Stiglitz on super profits, capital gains and why corporate tax is good for democracy, Follow the Money (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].
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian government has been trying to placate Trump in order to secure the AUKUS submarine deal – and now we are seeing the results.
On this episode of Follow the Money and After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Ebony Bennett discuss the illegal US-Israel war in Iran, the implications of the conflict for the Middle East, and why Australian personnel were on board an American nuclear-powered submarine when it sank an Iranian warship.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 10 March.
What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.
You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.
Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Albanese’s policy on Iran makes us complicit in the collapse of international rules by Emma Shortis, Guardian Australia (March 2026)
Australia’s shameless support for the US attack on Iran makes us gullible, duplicitous, or both by Allan Behm, Guardian Australia (March 2026)
The US and Israel attack Iran, foment chaos, After America, the Australia Institute (February 2026)
After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press
Iran strikes are Donald Trump’s ninth foreign military action in 14 months by Simon Elvery, ABC (March 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].
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The far-right is benefitting from a failing status quo – but it doesn’t have to be this way.
On this episode of Follow the Money, author and economist Gary Stevenson joins Ebony Bennett to discuss wealth inequality, the global issue of housing unaffordability, why Australia should tax gas properly, and how many far-right parties have become the Steven Bradburys of global politics.
This episode was recorded on Thursday 26 February.
What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.
You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.
Guest: Gary Stevenson, economist and author of The Trading Game // @garyseconomics
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Tax: Beer drinkers vs gas companies by Rod Campbell, the Australia Institute (February 2026)
Killing the Australian Dream: The failure of the capital gains tax discount by Matt Grudnoff and Greg Jericho, 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].
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shedding voters on the left and the right, is the Liberal Party heading for “oblivion”?
On this episode of Follow the Money, journalist and author Niki Savva and Australia Institute co-Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Denniss join Amy Remeikis to discuss how the Liberal Party ended up with their worst federal election result in modern history in 2025, why there’s no such thing as a safe seat in Australian politics anymore, and Nikki’s latest book, Earthquake: the election that shook Australia.
This episode was recorded live at the Australia Institute’s Politics in the Pub in Canberra on Wednesday 18 February 2026.
What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.
You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.
Guest: Niki Savva, journalist, author and former political advisor
Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss
Host: Amy Remeikis, Chief Political Analyst, the Australia Institute // @amyremeikis
Show notes:
There is no such thing as a safe seat | Fact sheet, the Australia Institute (October 2024)
Polling – Dutton’s gas plans, the Australia Institute (April 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].
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.