Keep the Bastards Honest

Australian Democrats

Keep the Bastards Honest is the podcast of the Australian Democrats political party. KTBH is where we join the political conversation in #auspol, and explore not just our policy positions and values, but with relevant experts the science and evidence that underpins possible policy solutions for the challenges facing Australia today. read less

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Bonus: Robodebt Officers off the Hook

Bonus: Robodebt Officers off the Hook

Elana is back with an article she wrote in response to the recent decision by the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) not to open an investigation into the referrals made to it by the Robodebt Royal Commission of six officials involved in the Robodebt scheme. This story continued to unfold after our article was published, so Elana has additional updates and commentary on this story. Show Notes:Robodebt Officers off the Hook articleThe NACC’s decision on RobodebtThe NACC regulator’s decision to investigateGeoffrey Watson interviewed by Philip Adams on the NACC’s decisionThe Dutch child care rebate scandal

Episodes

Bonus: Robodebt Officers off the Hook

Bonus: Robodebt Officers off the Hook

Elana is back with an article she wrote in response to the recent decision by the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) not to open an investigation into the referrals made to it by the Robodebt Royal Commission of six officials involved in the Robodebt scheme. This story continued to unfold after our article was published, so Elana has additional updates and commentary on this story. Show Notes:Robodebt Officers off the Hook articleThe NACC’s decision on RobodebtThe NACC regulator’s decision to investigateGeoffrey Watson interviewed by Philip Adams on the NACC’s decisionThe Dutch child care rebate scandal

32. Budget 2024: No Bravery

32. Budget 2024: No Bravery

Rejoice budget nerds, it’s that time of year again! An episode in which Elana is cranky about what not’s in the budget, Leonie is in search of a narrative for the budget, Steve does a better job of selling the budget than Jim Chalmers did, and all three lament the budget’s missed opportunities. Show Notes Podcasts featured in this episode:Dollars and Sense: The Budget and Why Your Wages are Lagging 14 Years Behind7AM Podcast: The Jim Chalmers InterviewThe Guardian’s Politics Live: Jim Chalmers on his Budget Balancing Act Additional coverage:Dollars and Sense: Poverty is a Policy ChoiceFollow the Money: Jess ...

31. Post Dunkley By Election Debrief

31. Post Dunkley By Election Debrief

It took a little while for Heath, Leonie and the rest of the campaign team to crawl out from under all the life admin that piled up while they were contesting the Dunkley by election, but Elana managed to sit down with Heath and Leonie and have a chat about the results and their experiences on the campaign trail.

The Drill: Nuclear SMRs

The Drill: Nuclear SMRs

Are you wondering just what a small modular nuclear reactor is, and why we’re having a ‘debate’ on nuclear power? Dr Grahame Elder has you covered. He’s done the research so you don’t have to. In this first instalment of The Drill, Dr Elder does a deep dive into the questions of: what are small modular nuclear reactors, are SMRs being used successfully elsewhere, and if so, do they have a future in Australia’s energy transition and mix? Host Elana Mitchell provides context and commentary as we drill into the issue of SMRs. Show Notes The Drill with all of ...

30. Dunkley by election - meet our candidate!

30. Dunkley by election - meet our candidate!

The by election in the Victorian electorate of Dunkley was triggered by the very sad passing of Labor MP Peta Murphy in December of 2023. We pay our respects to Peta, and extend our condolences to her family and friends on what must be a devastating loss. Our parliament, and Dunkley, are poorer for her absence. Heath McKenzie is a long time resident of Seaford, situated in the electorate of Dunkley. He is a qualified landscape gardener, has managed a large client portfolio for a major paint manufacturer and is now a business development manager for a major producer of ...

29. The year that was 2023

29. The year that was 2023

Elana and Steve are back, with lots to catch up on as they look back at the year that was 2023, and look forward to the year that will be 2024. Show Notes Listen to Greg Jericho’s Dollars and Sense podcast, where he explains how the Australian economy works. Elana recommends his episode on the Reserve Bank

Seasons Greetings for 2023

Seasons Greetings for 2023

Episode description not available.

Bonus: The Constitution and The Voice Explainer

Bonus: The Constitution and The Voice Explainer

One of the interesting stats that’s come out of the current referendum polling is that a surprisingly large number of Australians didn’t know that we even have a constitution, never mind what it is and why it’s important. If you’re one of those Australians, or you’re not sure what the deal is with the constitution, that’s ok! As I covered in our referendum explainer, it’s been quite a while since we had to look at amending the constitution, so if your civics education has been lacking, that’s not your fault. But we’re here to help plug the gaps in your ...

28. Jason Lambright: Who Are We to Judge Our Ancestors?

28. Jason Lambright: Who Are We to Judge Our Ancestors?

This is a story about colonisation, racism, and genocide. It’s a story about erasure, not just of a culture, but of an entire people. But it’s also a story of survival. And it’s a story about love. It’s a story about a woman who abandons her people, flees her home, her ancestors, her culture, and her heritage, who denies her own identity, right down to her own name, in order to protect her child from the government of her own country, a government that had an official policy to erase her people. It’s also a story about her descendent. And ...

Bonus: Referendum Explainer

Bonus: Referendum Explainer

Too young to have never voted in a referendum before? Old enough that it’s been some time since the last time you voted in one? In this episode we explain what a referendum is, why changing the constitution shouldn’t be a big deal, and what you, as a voter, have to do on the big day. Show Notes Here’s all the references used to build this episode, with some useful links if you’re after more information on the 2023 referendum on an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice: Referendums and plebiscites – Parliamentary Education Office Chapter VIII: Alteration of the ...

Bonus: A perspective on The Voice with Dr Grahame Elder

Bonus: A perspective on The Voice with Dr Grahame Elder

It shouldn’t come as any surprise to our regular listeners that the official position of the Australian Democrats is to support the Voice to Parliament. Part of the policy platform we took to the 2022 federal election on standing with First Nations people was whole hearted support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Since the Albanese government has chosen to implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, starting with a Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution, our National Executive officially endorsed support for this back in April 2023. In the face of the increasingly ugly public ...

27. Women for Election with Licia Heath

27. Women for Election with Licia Heath

Women for Election is an organisation whose mission is to inspire, equip and sustain women to successfully stand for, and thrive in, public office in Australia. On this episode Elana ...

Bonus: Student Debt Q&A

Bonus: Student Debt Q&A

Listener questions answered! This is a new listener requested segment where we answer your questions about Australian politics, government or even the Australian Democrats that you really wanted to know ...

26. Fadden By Election: Meet our Candidate!

26. Fadden By Election: Meet our Candidate!

Chris Simpson is former builder and building project manager, who was part of the team that ran for the Senate in Queensland in 2022, and was our spokesperson on housing. ...

25. Budget Review 2023

25. Budget Review 2023

It’s budget time again, and Elana Mitchell and Steve Baty are joined by Young Democrat Rhiannon Kernot (no relation) to discuss the budget. While this episode was delayed by events, ...

Bonus: Budget Explainer

Bonus: Budget Explainer

Governments use the budget process to establish spending priorities and identify revenues to pay for those activities. The size and scope of those decisions make the budget process one of ...

24. Budget 2023 Wish List

24. Budget 2023 Wish List

Join National Vice Presidents Elana Mitchell and Steve Baty as they discuss the challenges facing the Albanese Government in its first major (but technically second) budget, and their wish list ...

23. Something unexpected happened in Aston

23. Something unexpected happened in Aston

When Speaker of the House Milton Dick scheduled the Aston by election for April 1st we’re sure that April Fools Day was the furthest thing from his mind. He made ...

22. Second Thoughts on the NSW State Election

22. Second Thoughts on the NSW State Election

It’s just as well Elana and Steve committed to completing their review of the NSW state election after the results were finalised, because their second thoughts on the NSW state ...

21.2 The Unsafeguard Mechanism

21.2 The Unsafeguard Mechanism

This episode was recorded the day the Albanese government and the Greens came to an agreement on the implementation of the safeguard mechanism, originally developed by Tony Abbott’s government, and ...