The Long-Read Essay: Democracy, Power and Australia at the Crossroads

The Long-Read Essay: Democracy, Power and Australia at the Crossroads

2025 was the year the comforting myths finally fell away. In this long-read essay, we trace how democratic institutions – globally and in Australia – proved far more fragile than many assumed, as misinformation, authoritarian politics and media failure reshaped the political landscape. From Trump’s return and Elon Musk’s political interference, to the catastrophic war on Gaza and Australia’s own shallow election campaign, the year exposed a deep crisis of leadership, media courage and moral clarity. Yet amid the disillusionment, there are faint but real signs of renewal: growing scepticism of mainstream media, the rise of independent voices, and a questioning of Australia’s place in a changing world. This long-read episode asks a simple but urgent question: at the crossroads revealed in 2025, will Australia choose to continue to drift, or seek a democratic renewal? #AUSPOL

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Song listing:
  1. ‘La Femme d’Argent’, AIR.

Episoder(311)

Raise the rate! NDIS, the pre-Budget lull and Dutton's LNP tanking in the polls

Raise the rate! NDIS, the pre-Budget lull and Dutton's LNP tanking in the polls

In this episode: rebooting the National Disability Insurance Scheme; the build-up to the federal Budget; and the latest opinion polls – good news for the Prime Minister; bad news for the Opposition le...

21 Apr 202345min

He’s not a monster! Dutton’s conservative nightmares continue and the Inland Rail disaster

He’s not a monster! Dutton’s conservative nightmares continue and the Inland Rail disaster

In this episode, another resignation in the Liberal Party, and are there more to follow? And the cost blowout in the Inland Rail Project is yet another example of why Barnaby Joyce should leave politi...

14 Apr 202341min

Politics after Aston, a farewell to Yunupingu and the forever despicable Dutton

Politics after Aston, a farewell to Yunupingu and the forever despicable Dutton

In this episode: the result of the Aston byelection – was it a big Labor victory or a bad loss for the Liberal Party?… and celebrating the life of Yunupingu: he was a great man of Australian political...

7 Apr 202341min

New Labor government, stopping a whistleblower case, social housing and the Aston byelection

New Labor government, stopping a whistleblower case, social housing and the Aston byelection

In this episode: a wrap up of the New South Wales election from last weekend, with the NSW Coalition ending their 12 years in office and the start of a NSW Labor government; the case against whistlebl...

31 Mar 202344min

AUKUS, The Voice, anti-trans Nazis trouble and election time in NSW

AUKUS, The Voice, anti-trans Nazis trouble and election time in NSW

In this episode: the week in federal politics; the AUKUS deal; the Voice to Parliament; and the safeguard mechanism for emissions control. The anti-trans agitators and Nazis getting an unwelcome recep...

24 Mar 202344min

Terrible AUKUS deal, NSW criminal corruption and media behaving badly

Terrible AUKUS deal, NSW criminal corruption and media behaving badly

In this episode, we look at the AUKUS deal and what it means for Australia. It looks like it’s a bad deal, so why did Albanese agree to it? It’s complicated.Paul Keating also attacked this AUKUS deal ...

17 Mar 202347min

Liberals withering on a flagpole, corruption in NSW and a war with China?

Liberals withering on a flagpole, corruption in NSW and a war with China?

In this episode… we look at the week in federal politics: the Liberal Party is in contortions over a tatty flag on top of Australian Parliament House (the important things) and wants to repeal the gov...

11 Mar 202343min

Superannuation and politics of reform, media freedom and the Robodebt criminals

Superannuation and politics of reform, media freedom and the Robodebt criminals

Superannuation is a boring topic of conversation at the best of times, but the government can see that it can save a substantial sum of money by closing off a loophole and has introduced a higher leve...

3 Mar 202349min

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