There is no reason our societies can’t change radically, to produce more of what we need and less of the things that are sowing the seeds of our own destruction, says Yanis Varoufakis.

On this episode of Follow the Money, we bring you highlights from the recent Australian tour of economist and author Yanis Varoufakis, with contributions from a cast of very special guests. Across live events in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, they discuss misogyny, political power, the erosion of Palestinian rights, and Yanis’ latest book, Raise Your Soul: A Personal History of Resistance.

Become an Australia Institute supporter today.

Guest: Yanis Varoufakis, economist & author // @yanisvaroufakis

Guest: Clare Wright OAM, Professor of History and Professor of Public Engagement, La Trobe University // @clarewrighthistorian

Guest: Randa Abdel-Fattah, Future Fellow in Sociology, Macquarie University // @RandaAFattah

Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss

Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Guest: Louise Adler AM, former Director, Adelaide Writers’ Week

Guest: Leanne Minshull, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull

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

Show notes:

Raise Your Soul: A Personal History of Resistance by Yanis Varoufakis, Penguin Books (November 2025)

A Time for Bravery: What happens when Australia chooses courage?, Australia Institute Press (December 2025)

What’s the Big Idea? 32 Ideas for a Better Australia, Australia Institute Press (December 2024)

Naku Dharuk The Bark Petitions: How the People of Yirrkala Changed the Course of Australian Democracy by Clare Wright, Text Publishing (October 2024)

Discipline by Randa Abdel-Fattah, UQ Press (September 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]. 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.

Petrol and diesel prices are sky high because of the illegal US-Israel war on Iran, but major fuel shortages in Australia are very unlikely. 

Matt Grudnoff and Ebony Bennett discuss Australia’s relatively strong position in global energy supply chains. Matt explains why some petrol stations have run low despite overall fuel supplies remaining steady, how the price hikes are fuelling inequality, and why Scott Morrison’s 2021 claim about an electric vehicle policy putting an “end to the weekend” now looks even more absurd than it did at the time.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday 31 March.

You can sign the Australia Institute’s petition calling on the federal government to make gas exporters pay their fair share.

Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff

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

Show notes:

Fuel costs and RBA hikes equal to a 90 basis point rate rise: 'this is brutal' by Greg Jericho, The Point (March 2026)

Fuelling inequality: The brunt of a global crisis should not be borne by people in poverty by Kristin O’Connell, The Point (March 2026)

The case for a gas export tax, explained by Richard Denniss, The Point (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]. 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.

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.

Inequality creates insecurity and, as the United States is demonstrating right now, that insecurity can have devasting consequences for democracy.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz joins Ebony Bennett and Dr Richard Denniss to discuss why Australia should get a better return for its natural resources, the power of corporations to mark up prices and push down wages, and why democracies should collect more corporate tax.

This episode was recorded live on Wednesday 11 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: Joseph E Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate economist and Professor, Columbia University // @josephestiglitz

Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss

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

Show notes:

The Price of Inequality: How Today's Divided Society Endangers Our Future by Joseph E Stiglitz (June 2013)

Australia’s great gas giveaway: how Australia gives gas to multinational corporations for free by Mark Ogge, Rod Campbell and Piers Verstegan, the Australia Institute (May 2024)

The capital gains discount and negative gearing benefit the rich and destroy housing affordability by Jack Thrower, the Australia Institute (February 2025)

Trump’s Big Bill makes America more dangerous while enriching a few, After America, the Australia Institute (July 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.

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 [email protected].

Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With inflation driven by Christmas holidays and data centres for artificial intelligence, the RBA didn’t need to raise the interest rate this week, argues Matt Grudnoff.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Matt Grudnoff joins Ebony Bennett to discuss big economic reform opportunities facing the government and why the Reserve Bank of Australia is so cautious about cutting rates, yet so quick to hike them up.

Join economist, author and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and friends in Adelaide on Sunday 1 March and in Sydney on Thursday 5 March. Tickets are selling fast, so get yours now.

Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff

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

Show notes:

Hasty decision inflicts more pain and will cost jobs, the Australia Institute (February 2026)

Australian high schools the most expensive in the world – new research, the Australian Institute (February 2026)

Treasurer Jim Chalmers on the likelihood of an interest rate rise today, Radio National Breakfast, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (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 can’t keep its head in the sand and hope the chaos of the Trump administration will just go away.

Dr Emma Shortis and Greg Jericho join Glenn Connley to discuss how Australia can navigate what Canadian PM Mark Carney calls the Trump “rupture”.

A time for Bravery: what happens when Australia chooses courage is available now via Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘POD5’ at checkout to save $5 off the price – available for a limited time only.

Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Guest: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

Host: Glenn Connley, Senior Media Advisor, the Australia Institute // @glennconnley

Show notes:

After America, the Australia Institute

Dollars & Sense, the Australia Institute

The IMF’s banal language is sane-washing an economic crisis created by the egomaniacal Donald Trump by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (January 2026)

What the IMF actually said about Australia’s economy by Greg Jericho, The Point (January 2026)

Shorter America this week: Trust is rust; It’s the white supremacy, stupid; Five Eyes goes cross-eyed by Emma Shortis, The Point (January 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.