Australia’s climate crossroads

With a leading role in this year’s United Nations climate conference, the Australian government has an opportunity to show genuine solidarity with its Pacific neighbours and climate-vulnerable communities at home.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Kumi Naidoo, South African human rights and climate advocate, joins Ebony Bennett to discuss the need for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, why it’s past time for the Australia government to stop coal and gas expansion, and his new Vantage Point essay, What We Owe the Water.

This episode was recorded on Monday 9 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: Kumi Naidoo, President, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative // @kuminaidoo

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett

Show notes:

"A drowning memory": the Pacific Island communities fighting for their survival, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (March 2025)

Foreign aid and climate finance, Australia’s dismal track record by Matt Saunders and Richard Denniss, the Australia Institute (November 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 podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/3RR3KYd

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(425)

Australian states aren’t going broke, but they are being ripped off

States and territories are missing out on tens of billions in revenue each year because the GST isn’t growing as promised. On this episode of Follow the Money, Rod Campbell and Matt Grudnoff join Ebon...

8 Heinä 25min

The Safeguard Mechanism is failing miserably

Australia’s flagship climate policy is failing to drive actual emission reductions. On this episode of Follow the Money, the authors of new Australia Institute research, Dr Fergus Green and Frances Me...

1 Heinä 34min

Australians overwhelmingly back abortion access, but the politics are getting more toxic

Australians overwhelmingly support access to abortion care – but there’s a resurgence in anti-abortion politics underway. On this episode of Follow the Money, Amy Remeikis and Hamdi Jama join Ebony Be...

24 Kesä 32min

Gas tax: let the people decide

Join tens of thousands of Australians calling for a national plebiscite on a 25% gas export tax. On this episode of Follow the Money, Leanne Minshull and Rod Campbell join Ebony Bennett to discuss Aus...

17 Kesä 28min

Jane Caro on the battle for public education

Private schools have a “parasitic relationship” with public education, says Jane Caro. On this episode of Follow the Money, recorded live at Politics in the Pub in Canberra, Jane Caro joins Dr Alice G...

10 Kesä 35min

Antoinette Lattouf on women who win

Journalist and author Antoinette Lattouf tells the inspiring stories of women’s courage and conviction – and how they have changed our country. Recorded live as part of our Australia’s Biggest Book Cl...

3 Kesä 28min

Online gambling “reshaping a whole generation” as government reforms fall well short

The government’s latest reforms don’t do nearly enough to protect Australians from gambling harm. On this episode of Follow the Money, Martin Thomas from the Alliance for Gambling Reform and Morgan Ha...

27 Touko 24min

Victoria’s donations shambles puts rest of country “on notice”

Six months out from an election, Victoria has been left with no political donation laws after the High Court ruled them unconstitutional. On this episode of Follow the Money, Bill Browne joins Ebony B...

20 Touko 24min