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A broken university system is letting Australia down
Poor governance, poor policy and decades of neoliberalism have broken Australia’s university sector, with devastating consequences for students and the country. On this episode of Follow the Money, Richard Denniss and Ebony Bennett discuss the lack of accountability in Australia’s universities, why some institutions’ claims of financial crises aren’t supported by their auditors, and what Australians think about the state of the sector. Aiming Higher: Universities and Australia’s future by Professor George Williams is available now via Australia Institute Press. Guest: Richard Denniss, co-CEO, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Australians believe universities are too expensive and not doing their job: polling, the Australia Institute (November 2025) There is no financial crisis at the University of Newcastle: new analysis, the Australia Institute (October 2025) The ANU’s hidden $90m budget surplus, the Australia Institute (October 2025) Failing the test: Australian universities in crisis, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (May 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] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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32:36
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32:36
Mates’ rates and why Australia can’t have nice things
Australia’s natural environment is in crisis and its wealth is disappearing into the hands of a few powerful fossil fuel companies – but it doesn’t have to be this way. On this episode of Follow the Money, Rod Campbell and Ebony Bennett discuss the lack of political will to properly protect the natural environment, a proposal for a 25% gas export tax to replace the Petroleum Resources Rent Tax, and new research showing that Adani cost Queenslanders hundreds of millions of dollars by selling coal at mates’ rates. Strong environment laws stop new coal and gas. You can sign our petition calling on the Australian Government to genuinely strengthen Australia’s environment laws. Guest: Rod Campbell, Research Director, the Australia Institute // @rodcampbell Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Can Albanese claim ‘success’ with Trump? Beyond the banter, the vague commitments should be viewed with scepticism by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (October 2025) Environment minister could approve projects at odds with nature laws under Labor overhaul by Dan Jervis-Bardy and Adam Morton, Guardian Australia (October 2025) Adani selling coal to India at mates rates, costing Queenslanders $400 million, the Australia Institute (October 2025) Progressive patriotism: ACTU’s 25% gas export tax should replace broken PRRT, the Australia Institute (October 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] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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24:13
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24:13
Albanese visits Trump as US democracy circles a golden drain
Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Donald Trump was relatively drama-free, but the devil is in the detail when it comes to the president’s ‘commitments’ on AUKUS and critical minerals. On this crossover episode of Follow the Money and After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Ebony Bennett discuss why Australia is still unlikely to receive any Virginia-class submarines, why the “shared values” that supposedly underpin the Australia-US alliance are looking increasingly shaky, and Trump’s bizarre AI video showing himself dropping excrement on protesters. You can sign our petition calling on the Australian Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS. After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis is available via Australia Institute Press. Guest: Emma Shortis, Director of International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: Can Albanese claim ‘success’ with Trump? Beyond the banter, the vague commitments should be viewed with scepticism by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (October 2025) Albanese hints US could still seek changes to Aukus agreement amid review by Josh Butler, Guardian Australia (October 2025) Trump’s shutdown power play, After America, the Australia Institute (October 2025) Trump’s tragedy: the US becomes an autocracy and the presidency, a dictatorship by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (October 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] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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33:59
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33:59
Fixing Australia's "arse-backwards" environment laws
Environment laws that don’t stop new gas and coal are like putting screen doors on a submarine. On this episode of Follow the Money, Leanne Minshull and Ebony Bennett discuss the Federal Government’s efforts to push through changes to Australia’s busted environment laws with the support of the Coalition. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via Australia Institute Press. Guest: Leanne Minshull, co-CEO, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: This shocking deal is a gross betrayal of millions of voters by Ebony Bennett, The Canberra Times (October 2025) Top Australian scientists unite in defence of science on Maugean skate, the Australia Institute No delay, no excuses, no carbon offsets: Submission to the NSW Koala Strategy Review by Adam Gottschalk and Polly Hemming, the Australia Institute (May 2024) Save Tuvalu, Save the World, 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] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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24:02
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24:02
Australia is a rich country that taxes like a poor one
If Australia just collected the OECD average in tax, the government would have an extra $130 billion a year to spend on essential services like health and education. On this episode of Follow the Money, Matt Grudnoff and Ebony Bennett discuss the latest data from the Australian Taxation Office showing that 30 per cent of large corporations paid no company tax in 2023-24 – with the gas, coal, salmon and tech industries among the worst offenders. Use the code ‘podcast’ to get 50% off tickets to the Australia Institute’s Revenue Summit. Discount available for Follow the Money listeners while stocks last. Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes: New government data confirms gas exporters continue to pay no tax, the Australia Institute (October 2025) Big gas is taking the piss, Follow the Money, 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] Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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25:12
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25:12